Newcastle international round-up: England U21 star shines, £63m man bags three, Tonali return & Danish delight

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has welcomed back a total of 12 stars from international duty in the build-up to his side’s crucial Premier League test away to Wolves. As it stands, the Magpies are unbeaten in all competitions after a run of two victories and one draw in the league as well as a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory over Nottingham Forest in the Carabao Cup.

Howe has been delighted with his side’s results at the start of the season but still feels his team are yet to produce their best level of performance out on the pitch. For many of the squad, the international break offered players the chance to build sharpness and continue work on the training ground ahead of a crucial month of fixtures with Fulham, AFC Wimbledon and Manchester City all on the horizon.

But how did the 12 players on international duty fare for their respective countries and what is the latest on Emil Krafth following his withdrawal from the Sweden squad? Here’s all you need to know.

Anthony Gordon, Tino Livramento and Nick Pope - England

Newcastle United star Anthony Gordon was a peripheral figure with just three minutes of first team action during Euro 2024, but was able to show Three Lions fans exactly what they were missing with two excellent displays in 2-0 victories over both Republic of Ireland and Finland in the UEFA Nations League.

Returning goalkeeper Nick Pope and youngster Tino Livramento were both unused substitutes on both occasions.

Lewis Hall - England U21

Promising left-back Lewis Hall showcased his attacking quality with two assists in a comfortable 4-1 victory over Austria.He will hope to regain his place in the first team after being benched for Lloyd Kelly during a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

Sandro Tonali - Italy

Newcastle’s £55m midfielder Sandro Tonali played the full 90 minutes in impressive UEFA Nations League victories over Israel and France. He also showcased his quality with a fine backheel flick to assist his team-mate during a victory over France.

Alexander Isak and Emil Krafth - Sweden

Alexander Isak recorded three goals in two UEFA Nations League matches for Sweden in comfortable victories over Azerbaijan and Estonia.

Emil Krafth, on the other hand, was withdrawn from international duty due to injury. Eddie Howe said the defender missed most of training last week but is in contention to make the squad for the trip to Molineux after returning to training.

Bruno Guimaraes - Brazil

Newcastle’s midfield maestro Bruno Guimaraes started for Brazil and produced a commanding display in a 1-0 victory over Ecuador, but was on the losing team in a shock defeat to Paraguay.

Miguel Almiron - Paraguay

Miguel Almiron started both of Paraguay’s matches in a productive international break which saw the team pick up a 0-0 draw against Uruguay and a shock 1-0 win over Brazil.

Odysseas Vlachodimos - Greece

Newcastle summer signing Odysseas Vlachodimos picked up his 43rd and 44th caps for Greece in comfortable 2-0 and 3-0 victories over Republic of Ireland and Finland respectively. He takes on England at Wembley in his next international outing.

Martin Dubravka - Slovakia

Martin Dubravka also left the international break with two clean sheets as his side enjoyed a 1-0 victory over Estonia and a 2-0 win over Azerbaijan.

William Osula - Denmark U21

Summer signing William Osula showcased his potential with a goal for Denmark’s U21 team in a 4-2 defeat at Iceland. He failed to score in a 5-0 victory over Czech Republic but impressed in the second half after coming on from the bench.