Newcastle United are back in Premier League action this weekend, and Eddie Howe has hinted at a surprise selection in his starting lineup.
Sandro Tonali ban updates
The Magpies have gone almost two weeks since their last game, with the latest international break getting in the way of the domestic season in frustrating fashion.
Howe's side were in fine form prior to the break, and while a late equaliser for West Ham robbed them of all three points at the London Stadium in their last outing, things are still largely going in the right direction, as highlighted by a stunning 4-1 win at home to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
On Saturday afternoon, Newcastle welcome Crystal Palace to St James' Park, in the type of game that the Magpies must be looking to win if they want to secure back-to-back top-four finishes in the Premier League.
That being said, preparations for the match have been impacted negatively by the potential Sandro Tonali ban reports, with the 23-year-old looking likely to spend a lengthy spell out of the game after breaching betting rules during his time at AC Milan.
It is a massive blow for Howe and anyone associated with the club, considering what a high-profile summer signing the Italian was from Milan, and it would be a surprise if Newcastle didn't delve into the transfer market in the January window.
Newcastle vs Palace team news
Despite the rumours swirling around his summer signing, Howe could apparently surprise everyone and go ahead and start the Italian regardless on Saturday, as Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie shared the latest team news:
"Eddie Howe says Sandro Tonali has trained twice this week and is available for selection tomorrow. Howe admits he has a call to make on the midfielder though, admitting that it’s been an emotional couple of weeks for him."
This would certainly be a decision that splits opinion among the Newcastle fanbase, should Howe make the decision to name Tonali in his starting XI.
There have to be question marks over whether he is in the right frame of mind to be starting a big Premier League game, considering everything that has gone on this week, so the manager should only pick him if he has complete faith in him being fully focused on the job at hand.
On the flip side, Tonali is available for selection and his boss may feel that he wants to get every last ounce out of him while he can, before potentially losing him for the remainder of the season. This is a player who cost huge money and who has made an immediate impact at St James', being hailed as "magnificent" by Eddie Howe.
The decision will only be made to look correct or not depending on the eventual result against Palace, but it is a tough call for the manager, and one where it is easy to see both sides of the argument.
If this is to be Tonali's swansong before being banned for a significant amount of time, the hope is that he manages to bow out in style, inspiring Newcastle to a vital three points in their quest for more Champions League football.