Newcastle will miss star with 100% duel success rate vs Leeds United
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Charlie Grace
Tue 26 August 2025 17:50, UK
Newcastle fell to an agonisingly late 3-2 defeat at home against Liverpool on Monday Night Football, in a game littered with talking points.
Newcastle had the better of the early chances but Anthony Gordon’s red card on the stroke of half time left Eddie Howe’s side with an uphill battle in the second half.
Bruno Guimaraes and William Osula got Newcastle level but Rio Ngumoha’s late strike broke Tyneside hearts.
Tonali will be a particularly big miss, as the Italian midfielder has won 100% of his duels this season, both on the ground and aerially this season according to Fotmob data.
It means that Newcastle face the unenviable task of replacing that tenacity for however long he spends on the sidelines.
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Howe spoke to BeIn Sport after the match, and as has been reported in talkSPORT, the Newcastle boss wasn’t optimistic: “It’s difficult for me to give a thorough assessment at the moment, but Joelinton’s doesn’t look good.
“Sandro Tonali’s doesn’t look good either.
However, when looking at their depth options, there is a clear drop off in the quality of Howe’s bench options.
NameFromFeeAnthony ElangaNottingham Forest£53mJacob RamseyAston Villa£39mMalick ThiawAC Milan£30mAaron RamsdaleSouthamptonLoanNewcastle’s transfer business (Transfermarkt)
Jacob Ramsey and Malick Thiaw are good options, and Osula proved he’s capable of changing a game from the bench against Liverpool.
But, when looking at how Newcastle can compete across four competitions this season, the lack of quality in Howe’s rotation options will likely hurt the 47-year-old as the season goes on.
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