Newcastle United WAG shares cute 'dog dad' shot of Magpies hero from USA trip

He’s got film star looks, a smouldering Italian stare and football skills to match any on the planet. Sandro Tonali is Newcastle United’s midfield maestro from Milano, who is used to being centre stage. But, it is normally with a ball at his feet - not thrusting a dog in front of the camera on a video call.

Tonali was this week deep in preparation for the Magpies’ return to Premier League action on Saturday this week. Newcastle take on Ipswich Town on Saturday afternoon - kick-off 3pm GMT - knowing a win would not only see them further strengthen their Champions League chase credentials, and elevate them to third in the top flight table once more, but it would also, less fortunately, relegate the opposition.

United are looking to bounce back from an awful showing at Villa Park, in which Tonali was one of the select few to walk away with any praise, where they were beaten 4-1 to end a six-game winning run. The Aston Villa loss came without the presence of head coach Eddie Howe, who also missed the previous two Premier League games - but the former Bournemouth boss is back, after a bout of pneumonia, to lead the side this weekend.

And while Tonali was putting in the hard yards on the windswept fields of Benton this week, his other half, Juliette Pastore, was off enjoying sunnier climes. According to her Instagram, the Newcastle United WAG was in Miami, Florida, doing a mix of jewellery promotion work and some important R&R on the white sandy beaches of the sunshine state.

In his partner’s absence, as well as running the Newcastle United midfield, it appears as if Tonali has been given elevated responsibilities - looking after their French bulldog, named Margot. Mixed in with her many glamourous shots and beautiful scenery pics, Pastore shared an image, see above, of Tonali, with Margot, while on a video call to her in the USA.

It’s fair to say the United midfielder looks a little shell-shocked playing ‘dog dad’ this week - let’s hope he’s a little less so on the weekend, with the relegation-threatened Tractor Boys in town.