Newcastle United handed £55m boost because of Premier League rule

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Sandro Tonali has avoided a one-match ban ahead of Newcastle United’s trip to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday (kick-off 12:30pm).

Tonali was just one Premier League yellow card away from a ban. As per league rules, any player cautioned five times in their team’s opening 19 matches is handed an automatic one-match suspension.

The Italian was booked in games against Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool but managed to get through the 2-0 victory at Manchester United on Monday night unscathed.

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With the visit to Spurs the Magpies’ 20th league fixture of the 2024-25 campaign, the disciplinary threshold has now increased to 10 yellow cards in 32 matches, which would result in a two-match suspension.

Newcastle have enjoyed a mini-revival in recent weeks with five consecutive seeing them rise to fifth in the league table, as well as reaching the Carabao Cup semi-final for the second time in three seasons.

And Tonali has played an integral part having dropped into the ‘No.6’ role which in turn has allowed Bruno Guimaraes to play in a slightly more advanced midfield role.

“The profile of the player I wanted to sign was someone that could play both positions,” said Howe last month. “You have to consider we have had Bruno fit and available for most games, his ability to keep performing and be available has been incredible but there is no guarantee with that with any player’s fitness. So if we lost Bruno we needed someone to play that role so the profile of player I wanted was someone who could play both positions.

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“But I think it is clear Sandro has looked a lot more at home in a deeper position and it has allowed Bruno to play a different role. And I think with Bruno, there is still loads more to come from him in that position.”

However, while Tonali is available against Spurs, Fabian Schar is not. The former Switzerland international received his fifth booking of the season in the 80th minute at Old Trafford.

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