Time for Tonali to take centre stage?
Dilemmas, dilemmas. Eddie Howe has a few in advance of Arsenal’s visit to Tyneside on Saturday as Newcastle aim to correct a run of five league games without a win. Wednesday’s restorative Carabao Cup victory against Chelsea has surely created competition for places, particularly at right-back where Emil Krafth’s strong performance suggests he arguably should start in front of Tino Livramento. Significantly, with Bruno Guimarães benched for most of the evening, Sandro Tonali shone at the heart of midfield. Is now the moment to leave the Italy international in the centre and relocate Guimarães to Tonali’s right or even start the Brazil midfielder on the bench again? Similarly Joe Willock impressed on the left of that department, pressing well and carrying the ball considerable distances. Can Newcastle’s manager afford to drop Willock? Then there’s Lloyd Kelly who did very well on a rare left-sided central defensive outing. Should Kelly get the nod ahead of Dan Burn? Dilemmas … Louise Taylor
