Less than 72 hours on from the heights of European football, its back to the bread and butter of Premier league football for Eddie Howe’s injury riddled squad as they face up to the challenge of Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux in the days 5:30pm game featured live on Sky Sports.
 
Already without long term absentees, Emil Krafth and Harvey Barnes, Howe is unable to call upon Sven Botman, Elliott Anderson, Lewis Miley, Alexander Isak and Jacob Murphy through illness or injury. And to add to Howe’s selection woes, late on Friday evening FIFA ratified the suspension imposed by the Italian FA on Sandro Tonali which means he starts his 10-month sabbatical from football, commencing immediately.
 
With Isak’s absence possibly stretching into six weeks Howe will be wrapping Callum Wilson in cotton wool as his team faces seven games before November is out. And the only ray of light that seems to be squinting through the curtains of his office is in the physical form of Joe Willock, who returned to first team action on Wednesday evening as a second half substitute.
 
The situation regarding Tonali was obviously the main topic to push Howe on at his press conference on Friday morning and while he hoped to still have Tonali at his disposal for selection, subsequent confirmation from FIFA that they had ratified his suspension rendered that hope redundant. 
 
But before leaving the matter in the hands of the powers above, Howe did address the general topic in eloquent terms, saying: I think there's always scope to improve everything that we deliver for our young players and that's education, advising them of the pitfalls. These pitfalls have been there for many years and there's different types that can occur in their careers. The better guidance we can give them at a younger age then hopefully these situations can be avoided”.
 
On losing the services of ISAK and Murphy, neither of whom managed to see out the midweek Dortmund game Howe said: “Very different injuries, Alex is a groin which we don't think is serious but it's reoccurrence of the groin injury he suffered playing for Sweden, so we need to assess that. He's had a scan today, but we don't suspect that is going to be too bad”.
 
“Jacob's is totally different it's dislocation of his shoulder. It's not clear what we're going to do, and I think he's going to see a specialist today. You can play with these injuries, or the other side is he needs an operation and he'll be out for some time”.
 
On Elliott Anderson, Howe was equally as pessimistic advising that “Elliot looks like he's going to be out for around eight weeks with a back problem which is a pretty bizarre injury”.
But on Sven Botman Howe there was a brighter synopsis: “Sven is improving he's out on the grass. He's not training with us yet but we're hoping we can get him back pretty quickly. We have to be careful with the injury he's got”.
 
Howe also spoke about Joe Willock, describing his return as “huge”. He also singled out Matt Targett for praise, saying: “I rate Matt very highly. I really do and it was great to see him come on (against Dortmund) and do so well. I thought he made a real positive impact to the team’s performance and it's great to see”.
 
Wolves meanwhile come into the game on a little run of form that sees them unbeaten in their last four Premier League fixtures, winning two and drawing two. 
 
Team Manager Gary O’Neill welcomes back Mario Lemina and Nelson Semedo from suspension. Jean-Ricner Bellegarde could also feature having shaken off a calf injury. 
However, Joe Hodge will not feature as he is out for a couple of months after undergoing shoulder surgery. Hugo Bueno ALSO remains out as he recovers from a thigh injury.
The match referee is Anthony Taylor. His Assistants are Gary Beswick and Adam Nunn. Fourth official is Thomas Bramall; while VAR is under the control of Jarred Gillett and his Assistant in the VAR bunker is Steve Meredith.
 

Newcastle’s champions league aspirations were dampened but not extinguished on a cold and wet night at St James’ Park as Borussia Dortmund epitomized the saying ‘there is no substitute for experience in European football’. 
 
Perhaps their previous two outings in the Champions League – a defeat in Paris followed by a home draw with AC Milan - led us to believe that last season’s Bundesliga runners up would be a pushover for Eddie Howe’s high pressing team. But a team with only one domestic league defeat in their previous 27 games were never going to be anything other than organized and so it proved as Edin Terzic marshalled his own players version of the famous yellow wall with a view to soaking up Newcastle’s high pressing and movement.
 
Yet it was Dortmund who had the first effort of the match as early as the first minute when Donyell Malen fired a shot at goal after a fine solo run only for Nick Pope to save the effort with his feet.
 
Newcastle’s first effort came on five minutes when Anthony Gordon’s curling shot produced a fine save from Dortmund keeper Gregor Kobel.
 
The game ebbed and flowed and the difficult playing surface seemed to be affecting both teams, with overhit passes the main cause for concern for both sets of supporters.
 
Nick Pope was again in the thick of the action on 13 minutes when he produced a fine double save deny first Malen then the dangerous Niclas Fullkrug.
 
And it was Gordon again who looked likely to score when he was slipped through by Alexander Isak but once again Kobel came to Dortmund’s rescue. 
 
And that pass by Isak proved to be his final contribution as he pulled up with what looked like a recurrence of the groin injury that has been hampering him of late with Callum Wilson coming on as his replacement.
 
For the next 20 minutes Dortmund seemed to be getting the measure of Newcastle’s style of play and started to get a grip through their own patient possession game that was taking the sting out of Newcastle’s bite and when they did get opportunities, they squandered them.
 
Joelinton squandered a good chance without putting any pressure on Kobel and when Newcastle won a freekick, the debating class of Trippier and Schar combined to send the resulting effort high into the Leazes End. 
 
Dortmund got the breakthrough just before half time that their ever-gaining composure deserved through a composed finish by the impressive Felix Nmecha.
 
The Newcastle players went in at half time particularly unhappy with the Portuguese referee who seemed to drift between pedantic and not interested, depending which way the ever-swirling rain was blowing.
 
The second half was played at the pace that Dortmund dictated and while Newcastle continued to apply pressure, they were thwarted by a combination of resolute German defending and poor passing, with both sides guilty at times of overelaborating; seeking to play “Hollywood” passes when simple retaining possession was the easier and safer option.
 
Newcastle came desperately close to claiming a point in the closing stages when Wilson hit the bar with a header and Gordon had a shot was deflected on to the woodwork in the dying seconds that remained.
 
The fact that Newcastle didn’t look as comfortable against the well drilled German’s as they did when trouncing the more flamboyant Parisians a fortnight ago will have given Eddie Howe something to think about as his own European football education took another step forward. 
 
Howe can also look to the fact that as the game progressed, his side saw their cohesion disrupted by the unforeseen injuries delivered on Isak and Murphy; that Longstaff had to be withdrawn midway through the second half after feeling unwell prior to kick off; and Joelinton is obviously still not fully over his own injury problems.
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Champions League football returns to St James’ Park tonight for the second time in this season with Bundesliga runners up Borussia Dortmund coming to Tyneside to challenge Newcastle United’s European home record.
 
Newcastle and Dortmund have never met before, so this will be the first competitive meeting between the teams.
 
Like their hosts, Dortmund are on a good run of form domestically. Their win on Friday night placed them temporarily at the top of the Bundesliga and extended their unbeaten domestic league record to 16 games since losing at Bayern Munich in April, their only  reversein 27 Bundesliga outings.
 
However, so far in the Champions League, Dortmund have been beaten 0-2 in Paris and held to a scoreless draw at home by AC Milan.
 
Speaking at his press conference Eddie Howe stressed that this with be another test for his squad: “It’s a tough game ahead. The beauty of the PSG game was the whole environment created by the supporters, but we need to forget that result. Take the confidence from it, but try to create that atmosphere all over again, and for us try to recreate those intensity levels and quality of our play to try to win the game.
 
“It’s another real top test. This group was always going to be that way and it’s great to be involved in. We knew this would be a tough examination for us; this is a key period in it now.
 
“We’ve made a good start but we can’t get ahead of ourselves. This is a pivotal game in the group.”
 
On the ongoing situation and availability of Sandro Tonali Howe said: “As far as I’m aware, I’m expecting him to be available. I will plan like that until told differently. I can’t second guess what will happen. He has trained and is available.
 
And on the suggestion from some that UEFA may block Tonali from taking part ahead of any ban how said: “If that’s the case (UEFA does not want him involved), you know more than I do. I know very little. I’ve been preparing for the game. So I will wait to hear if anything concrete comes through.
 
"I haven’t (spoken to him about Saturday). It was emotional for him; that was clear to see. That will help him long-term. He will always be able to reflect back into that love he got from the supporters when he really needed it. Hopefully that will help his long-term relationship with the supporters.”
“Joe Willock is getting closer with every day that passes," said Howe, who had less positive news on his only other injury worry.
 
He added: “Sven Botman is still out. Apart from that we’re pretty similar to Saturday.
 
“I think Alexander Isak is back to full fitness. He’s trained really well in the build-up to this game so I’m delighted at where his career is at and where his performances have been for us. I’m sure Alex will want to do well because it’s our next game.”
 
Dortmund Head coach Edin Terzic also met the press on Tuesday evening and he had similar thoughts to Howe on his expections for the task ahead.
 
On Newcastle, Terzic said: “It’s not just the last couple of weeks; what they did last season was part of that. If you look at their whole history and the investment and money that has come in, they’ve been smart in the transfer market and built a team over 18 months.
 
“Qualifying for the Champions League through the Premier League is tough. When you look at this group we’re in you can see the strength and they’re top of the group at the moment, but only two games have gone so it’s really tight.
 
“Tomorrow we need to produce a good performance so we can earn victory. We can expect a warm welcome tomorrow night. It’s about us producing our game and energy on the pitch and making the most of this occasion.”
 
Dortmund will be backed by 3,000 travelling supporters and together with 49,000 geordies there promises to be a great atmosphere inside St James’ Park.
 
KO is 8pm 

Newcastle Utd produced a virtually flawless performance as they put a toothless Crystal Palace to the sword on Saturday afternoon.
 
And so emphatic was the victory that Palace manager Roy Hodgson could not find a single word of positivity to say about his team, such was United’s dominance.
 
The seeds of that dominance were sown in the fourth minute when Jacob Murphy, making his first start of the season met a cushioned pass from Kieran Trippier and chipped the stranded Palace keeper with the ball nestling into an empty net.
 
However, Murphy was forced to hold back on his goal celebration while the obligatory VAR check was completed in United’s favour.
 
And other than the odd flurry into the Newcastle half, Palace were forced to rely on a combination of lady luck and the woodwork as wave after wave of attack made the next forty minutes fly by before Anthony Gordon finally made one of a number of chances that came his way finally count as he met Murphy’s cross at the back post and placed his shot past Johnstone in the Palace goal. 
 
Then in the second minute of time added on Sean Longstaff made it three; pouncing on a slip by Marc Guehi to side-step the defender and fire the ball past the helpless Johnstone.
 
Palace did rally at the start of the second half but that was obviously more a reaction to a half time rollocking from their manager than a sign of something more positive and the game was over as far as Hodgson’s beleaguered team was concerned long before Callum Wilson got his name on the scoresheet in the 66thminute.
 
There were some standout performances in black and white shirts. Murphy and Trippier were a constant thorn in the side of Palace left back Tyrick Mitchell. Anthony Gordon was again impressive. Bruno Guimarães and Sean Longstaff controlled the midfield while Fabien Schar played as fine a quarterback role as you could see, setting up wave after wave of attacks with a range of passing that at times defied belief. 
 
But the biggest cheer of the day was reserved for Sandro Tonali when he entered the fray in the 69th minute as Guimarães was withdrawn, his job done. 
 
Tonali has gone through a difficult time since the allegations of gambling issues first broke and as the Italian goes through his own trauma, he will do so knowing that he has the backing of the toon army.

Like most supporters, Eddie Howe must have mixed feelings about International Breaks. 
On the one hand he will be proud of and pleased for his players away representing their countries. But on the other he will be hoping, if not praying that they return fit and healthy and more importantly available for selection for this weekend’s fixture and the visit of Crystal Palace.
 
On the injury front Harvey Barnes remains a long-term absentee but the better news comes in the shape of Joe Willock, who is ever nearer to being available for selection but won’t be rushed back. However, Lewis Miley is suffering from Glandular Fever and therefore not included in the squad.
 
Sven Botman looks to have overcome his own injury concerns while news is awaited on both Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak. The latter was withdrawn from the Sweden squad with what was reported as a groin problem picked up in the latter stages against West Ham. Isak has not returned to training this week and his selection will be a late call for Howe. 
 
Joelinton should have overcome the knee injury that has kept him out recently and Anthony Gordon has completed his suspension after totting up five bookings in the first nine fixtures of the season.
That tightrope is now being walked by Bruno Guimarães who has collected for bookings this season and is therefore only one booking away from an enforced rest.
 
The biggest decision for Howe concerns Sandro Tonali. Speaking at his Friday morning press conference Howe said of Tonali “Sandro is very much with us, he trained twice this week with us. He is very much available for selection.
“Like I do with all the players I analyse how they have looked in training, how they feel and he’s very much with us. He has had a very difficult couple of weeks and has been dealing with a lot.
 
“From what I can see he is handling himself very well and dealing with his emotions strongly. But underneath that I am sure there is a lot going on. So, I have to make a call.
 
“But I have to bring it back to football and have to bring it back to his training performances then do what is best for the team.”
 
The situation regarding Tonali was obviously something that the assembled media wanted to push Howe on, not only on the players availability and impending suspension but how and when the club were made aware of alleged gambling irregularities that emanated from Italian press and prosecutor’s investigations that have rocked Italian football.
 
Pressed on when he expects to hear about a possible ban, Howe said: “Personally no. The other people dealing with that maybe have a better idea. For me my focus has been on Sandro himself and the training this week.”
 
 Howe was asked if more background checks could have been done on the player before committing to his signing and he rightly replied.  “That’s a different game. That’s hindsight.” And in truth that was probably more a question for Dan Ashworth and Darren Eales to answer rather than Howe. As sporting Director Ashworth is responsible for that aspect of club business.
 
And the same can be said about the question of what AC Milan knew about the problems regarding Tonali before sanctioning the sale. Howe simply batted that question away, saying: “That’s something I can’t comment on. I have no idea. My thought process is all about Sandro and helping him.”
 
Roy Hodgson meanwhile will be without Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise, who are both out with hamstring injuries. Hodgson will be hoping his midfield duo Cheick Doucoure and Jefferson Lerma have overcome their own injury concerns and are available for selection.
 
Match Referee for this fixture is Tim Robinson; assisted by Adrian Holmes and Simon Long. Fourth official is Keith Stroud. 
VAR is in the hands of Simon Hooper and James Mainwaring.
 
KO is 3pm UK time.

Eddie Howe chose not to risk his walking wounded and in doing so made only one enforced change to his line up for the encounter with West Ham at the London Stadium, opting to bring in Elliott Anderson for the suspended Anthony Gordon.
Callum Wilson made the bench but there was no place in the squad for Joelinton and with the international break and a glut of fixtures to come Howe was obviously airing on the side of caution; particularly as far as the Brazilian was concerned.
 
The game kicked off in blue skies; a contrast to the weather back home and it was Newcastle who made the early running as they went about their business with the confidence expected of a team that had demolished one of Europe’s elites in midweek and their early possession nearly paid off when Anderson got on to the end of a cross from Kieran Trippier, but his header went high and wide.
But it was West Ham who got the break on 8 minutes when a rare defensive lapse saw Jamaal Lascelles drawn in by Antonio whose layoff was picked up by Paqueta. His chip into space was met by Emerson who rounded the onrushing Nick Pope and slid the ball to Soucek who slotted it into an empty net. 
 
The goal was very much against the run of play and frustration was showing when Guimarães received a yellow card for a foul on fellow countryman Emerson. 
And only moments later his frustration spilled over again as he crashed into Ward Prowse but this time the referee decided a further yellow was not warranted. Relief all round, but the Brazilian was now walking a tightrope.
 With 35 minutes gone the Magpies had only a shot from Almiron a header that went wide from Burn to show for their 73% possession.
 
After the break Newcastle came out of the blocks that little but quicker and their passing game started to pay dividends although they were lucky that Alvarez could not do better with a header from a predictably precise Ward Prowse corner.
And they got the break their possession deserved when Trippier floated a free kick into the West Ham box causing panic in the home side’s ranks and as a result Alvarez headed the ball straight into the path of Isak who lashed the ball home for the equaliser.
 
For minutes later and it was Isak again; rounding off a lovely move started by Guimarães who chipped the ball into the path of Trippier who met the ball on the volley and playing a cushioned pass across the six-yard box for the unmarked Isak to guide the ball home.
 
Isak could have claimed his hattrick and finished the game as a contest in the 72nd minute when he latched on to a sweet pass by Schar, rounded the keeper and from a tight angle rolled the ball towards goal, only to be thwarted by a combination of Nayef Aguerd and the post as the ball was slid out for a corner.
 
And Newcastle paid the price when West Ham substitute Mohammed Kudus scored an 89th-minute equaliser. The summer signing fired in his first goal for his new club and the points were shared.
 
Newcastle remain 8th in the league on 13 points going into the international break;  unbeaten in their last seven games in all competitions.