FOR Sandro Tonali, tonight's trip to the City Ground and a likely return to competitive action after a long and lonely 10 months on the sidelines will bring with it a whole range of emotions.

Not that the Italian midfielder has let his emotions show too much since his betting ban late last year.

"He's not outwardly expressive," said head coach Eddie Howe in his press conference on the eve of Tonali's return.

"No doubt I’ll see the same Sandro today. He will be cool, calm and collected, but I’m sure inside he’ll be really looking forward to his return and I’m sure he can’t wait to wear that shirt again.”

The 24-year-old is cool, calm and collected on the pitch, but it's only now - more than a year after signing - that Newcastle and their fans will see the true Tonali.

Last year, shortly after his arrival, news emerged of his gambling offences and a dark cloud of uncertainty hung over the midfielder's early months on Tyneside.

Now?

"I think we’ll get a different player back, a stronger player mentally, someone who will enjoy his football and probably appreciate every moment because it has been taken away from him for a long period of time so hopefully we get the benefits of that," said Howe.

Is he a better player now?

"I’m not sure, that has to be proved," said the head coach.

"You can make bold statements, but I want Sandro to come back and enjoy his football. But first, for everything around his life to be settled and controlled, and then enjoy his career and enjoy his football.

"If you get a happy player, you get a much better player. I’ve seen enough of Sandro all these months to back his ability, I still love the player. I just hope he can come in, in a calm way, and add to the team in his way."

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Whether he's in the team from the off tonight is unclear but he will be involved.

"He's fit, he just hasn't had the matches that every footballer will tell you is the most important thing," said Howe.

"He's done everything else. He's worked incredibly hard to be on top of his fitness."

A lot of the time that hard work has had to be done alone.

Howe said: "He’s a very strong guy, he’s handled this situation so well. He’s shown real strength, dignity, integrity, he’s been really strong because he’s been isolated at times. It hasn’t always been easy for him. He’s had some low moments and some lonely moments where the team has been playing.

"Sometimes with two away games we maybe haven’t been at the training ground on those days and he’s had to train on his own in isolation and keep his focus and spirits high and all those testing times for him."

Despite the isolation and loneliness and the fact his Saturday afternoons have been spent in the stands rather than on the pitch, Tonali's teammates have done all in their power to make sure the midfielder has still felt a central part of the group.

"Your teammates are so important and the environment and the culture is so important for someone in Sandro's position," said Howe.

"He's really well liked by his teammates and I've seen him form really strong friendships, a really good social network, people who can rely on and talk to and really good role models for him to be around.

"I'm really pleased to see him develop those friendships over time and I think that's so important to your future success. You need to feel part of the fabric and feel involved. Certainly he looks at home here now."

And Howe hopes Tonali soon looks at home on the pitch again.

"Sandro will naturally feel like he wants to repay everyone at Newcastle for the trust that we’ve shown in him when we signed him," he said.

"Whenever you go to a new club, there is always that want to show everyone your qualities and give to the team.

"I’m sure all of those things are there for him. We have just handled the situation as we think best and tried to support the human rather than looking at him as a footballer, first and foremost.

"He's had a lot of time to think, analyse, reflect. Now he's doing what he loves and there'll be an incredible release for him."