It has been quite the week for fans of both Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali and Oasis.
While Oasis announced their return on Tuesday, the following day saw Sandro Tonali make his emotional comeback.
The Newcastle United midfielder’s 10-month suspension finally came to an end, and Eddie Howe included him in his starting XI to face Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup.
It ended up being an inspired decision, with Tonali proving himself to be the best player on the pitch during the first 45 minutes of his comeback.
He was outstanding at the City Ground, as Newcastle beat Nottingham Forest on penalties to advance to the next round of the competition.
Tonali was not involved in the shootout, but he was a major part of the post-match celebrations. The travelling Toon Army sang his name loud and proud, and Tonali soaked in the adulation from the Newcastle fans on what have must have been a very emotional night.
Newcastle fans were blown away by Sandro Tonali’s return
Oasis are hoping to roll back the years when they go on tour next year, having not performed together since 2009.
For Tonali, it looked like he had never been away on what was his first competitive appearance in 10 months.
The 24-year-old was outstanding, and has received a huge amount of praise from Newcastle United fans on X following his return to action.
This fan was particularly impressed, describing Tonali as ‘special’: “Plenty of issues to sort out team-wise, but I thought Tonali looked really special in the first half. Much better team with him in it, the way we keep hold of the ball and move it on. Things we really struggled with last season.”
Meanwhile, this Newcastle supporter thinks there is even more to come from the midfielder: “Tonali for sure loved 1 touch football growing up. His vision and speed at passing is ridiculous btw. If that’s him after 10 months no football, we are going to see some beast in a few months.”
“When Tonali is firing all cylinders, that midfield will go up a level, some player,” wrote another fan, who shared that sentiment.
A fourth member of the Toon Army wrote on X: “Tonali is world class! First game in nearly a year and he’s head and shoulders above everyone… what a player.”
“Missed Tonali in midfield btw! He sees passes before anyone else, we have missed that,” commented this Newcastle United fan, who noted how Tonali is different to Eddie Howe’s other midfielders.
Finally, this supporter wants to see Tonali again on Sunday, writing: “A nice 60 minutes in the tank on his return for Sandro Tonali, ready for Sunday against Spurs.”
Eddie Howe must decide what to do with Sandro Tonali against Tottenham
There is resounding positivity surrounding Tonali’s return, and so there should be.
He played really well against Nottingham Forest, showcasing the qualities that sum up why he became one of Newcastle’s most expensive signings ever last year.
His vision and spatial awareness makes him stand out, with Tonali already knowing what he is going to do with the ball before he receives it. That quality should make Newcastle a much quicker and more dynamic side, as sometimes we can be ponderous in possession.
Tonali also showcased his speed too, and it almost resulted in him marking his comeback with a goal.
But the big issue for Howe is what does he do with Tonali on Sunday. After the way he performed in the cup, fans are desperate to see him start again when Tottenham Hotspur arrive at St James’ Park.
That will be an extremely physically demanding game against Ange Postecoglou’s side, and it may result in Howe keeping Tonali in reserve so that he can have an impact off the bench.
It will all depend on how fit Howe believes Tonali is, as there is no doubt that he is a starter for the Magpies when everyone is available.