Newcastle United Sandro Tonali concern highlighted ahead of Sunderland clash
Eddie Howe has addressed Sandro Tonali’s recent form at Newcastle United after the 2-2 Champions League draw at Bayer Leverkusen.
Sandro Tonali suffered a rare off day for Newcastle United as they drew 2-2 at Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
The Italian midfielder, who has been one of Newcastle’s most important players of 2025, was beaten by Robert Andrich for Leverkusen’s opening goal before letting Alejandro Grimaldo go for the home side’s 88th-minute equaliser at the BayArena.
Anthony Gordon and Lewis Miley scored as Newcastle turned the game around in the second half before being undone by another late goal.
Sandro Tonali’s form for Newcastle United
Tonali made a strong start to the season for Newcastle despite the side struggling to find consistency.
But since his monumental display against Manchester City last month, Tonali has started just one of Newcastle’s last three matches in the Premier League during an upturn in the side’s form. In his one start, he picked up a knock that forced him off at half-time against Tottenham Hotspur.
On his return to the starting line-up against Leverkusen, Tonali struggled on and off the ball with two costly lapses in concentration. The 25-year-old was handed a 4/10 rating in the Shields Gazette, his lowest of the season so far.
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Eddie Howe makes Sandro Tonali admission
Although he hasn’t started consistently in recent weeks, Tonali has been ever-present in Newcastle’s matchday squad this season despite various knocks and what Howe described as a ‘bad illness’ back in October.
Tonali was an unused substitute in the 3-0 Champions League win over Benfica as he recovered from the illness before being used as a substitute in the 2-1 win over Fulham four days later.
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“He's had a little bit of a bitty last couple of months,” Howe admitted. “He had a bad illness which really knocked him. Then he came back to fitness.
“Then he got a knock in the Tottenham game. So, yeah, a little bit in and out in terms of how he physically feels.
“But I'd say today he looked a little bit tired towards the end [v Bayer Leverkusen], naturally, because he hasn't played the length or amount of time that he would normally. So it's a case of building his rhythm.”
A tired Tonali remaining out on the pitch ultimately proved costly for Newcastle in hindsight, as the midfielder failed to track his runner for the late equaliser.