Eddie Howe has hailed the influence of Sandro Tonali following Newcastle United’s 1-0 victory over Wolves on Saturday.
The Newcastle boss noted that when Tonali delivers a below-par performance, it stands out precisely because it is such a rare occurrence.
“I think that he covered every blade [of grass against Wolves],” said Howe.
“He was putting out a lot of fires on transitions for us.
“I think he has done that superbly well.
“Sometimes it’s not necessarily a quality that registers immediately.
“But the number of times that he reads the game, reads where the ball’s going to drop and he’s there first, then you realise it’s a massive skill of his.
“His athleticism, his speed.
“So defensively, I think Sandro is one of the reasons why we have been so strong.
“But of course, the other side of his game, his use of the ball and his creativity, nearly scored a great goal for us [against Wolves].
“I thought it was a great performance [by Sandro Tonali].”
The Italian international’s journey to St James’ Park has been a notable one. Tonali began his professional career at Brescia, where he was instrumental in the club’s Serie B title triumph in the 2018-19 season.
His progress earned him a move to AC Milan, where he accumulated 130 appearances and helped the Rossoneri secure the Serie A crown in 2021-22.
In 2023, Newcastle signed him for a reported 70 million euros. He announced himself in style with a goal on his Premier League debut, a 5-1 thrashing of Aston Villa.
However, his momentum was halted by a 10-month suspension for breaching betting regulations, ruling him out of most of his first season in England.
Tonali’s ban ended in August 2024, after Newcastle’s opening two league fixtures. He immediately re-established himself, featuring in every one of the club’s remaining 36 Premier League matches as Howe’s side secured a return to the Champions League.
