NEWCASTLE United will closely monitor Sandro Tonali after his return from international duty, with the midfielder an injury concern ahead of a crucial week for the Magpies.

Tonali missed Italy's important 2-1 Euro 2024 qualifier victory over Ukraine on Tuesday night having picked up what was described in his homeland as a "slight muscle injury".

The 23-year-old, who has started all four of Newcastle's Premier League games so far this season, played 89 minutes of Italy's disappointing 1-1 draw away at North Macedonia at the weekend before being ruled out of the Ukraine game.

Reports in Italy claimed further tests showed Tonali to be suffering with "muscle fatigue", with Newcastle having been made aware and kept updated on the midfielder's situation.

Tonali will now be closely monitored by club medics before the Magpies make a decision on whether he'll be available for Saturday evening's visit of Brentford and next Tuesday's Champions League opener at AC Milan. Tonali will be desperate to be involved against his former club. The game in Milan is then followed by a trip to Sheffield United a week on Sunday.

If Tonali is ruled out of Saturday's game against the Bees, Sean Longstaff is likely to come into the side. Even without the Tonali injury concern, Howe might well have decided to tinker with the make-up of his midfield.

Tonali has played alongside Brazilian duo Bruno Guimaraes and Joelinton in the first four games of the Premier League season, but the midfield dynamic hasn't been quite right and the trio struggled in the 3-1 defeat at Brighton before the international break.

Howe has stuck with a settled team in the opening month of the season, his only change in the first four games enforced after Sven Botman's injury against Liverpool. But it would be no surprise to see the head coach make alterations on Saturday evening after the disappointing showing at Brighton and a run of three defeats on the bounce.

Callum Wilson and Harvey Barnes are among those who'll be hoping to make their first Premier League starts of the season, as will Longstaff, even if Tonali is deemed fit.

Elliot Anderson has been knocking on the door after an impressive pre-season but it's not clear at this stage whether he'll be fit for this weekend after his withdrawal from the Scotland squad during the break, with the 20-year-old's international future still up in the air.

Gareth Southgate said earlier this week that Anderson and Harvey Barnes - who is also eligible to play for Scotland - are both "very good players" who remain on England's radar.

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There was some positive news on the fitness front for Newcastle, with Miguel Almiron easing concerns after an injury scare last week.

The forward appeared to have suffered a knock in the late stages of Paraguay's 0-0 World Cup qualifier draw against Peru last Friday and needed some treatment. But Almiron had suffered muscle cramp rather than an injury and was fit enough to start for Paraguay in the 1-0 defeat to Venezuela on Tuesday night, with ex-Newcastle striker Salomon Rondon scoring a late winner from the spot.

Almiron then joined Bruno and Joelinton on a private jet back to the UK so the trio - crucial to Newcastle's cause - have as much time as possible to get recovered and prepared for Saturday's game against Brentford.

Bruno started Brazil's World Cup qualifier wins over Bolivia and Peru and was replaced by his Newcastle teammate Joelinton in the second half of both games.