Newcastle United on International Duty (Early September 2025): Full Player-by-Player Report, Ratings, and What It Means for Eddie Howe

TL;DR (Key Headlines)

• Sandro Tonali scored a stoppage-time winner in Italy’s 5–4 thriller vs Israel after starting in a 5–0 win over Estonia. newcastleunited.comESPN.com

• Bruno Guimarães scored for Brazil in a 3–0 win over Chile; Brazil then slipped 0–1 at Bolivia in La Paz. newcastleunited.comESPN.comReuters

• Anthony Gordon, Dan Burn and Tino Livramento all featured as England beat Andorra 2–0 at Villa Park and then thrashed Serbia 5–0 in Belgrade. newcastleunited.comESPN.comReutersThe Guardian

• New signing Nick Woltemade started twice for Germany—a tough night in the 0–2 loss at Slovakia, then an assist in a 3–1 win over Northern Ireland. newcastleunited.comESPN.comNewcastleWorld

• Deadline-day arrival Yoane Wissa (DR Congo) delivered a goal and an assist in a 4–1 win at South Sudan. newcastleunited.comESPN.com

• Emil Krafth and Anthony Elanga both appeared for Sweden—Elanga scored in a 2–2 at Slovenia; Krafth came on vs Kosovo. newcastleunited.comESPN.comThe Guardian

• Lewis Miley started for England U21s in a 2–0 away win at Kazakhstan. newcastleunited.com

• Will Osula received his first Denmark senior call-up (unused sub in both games). newcastleunited.com

• Alex Murphy (ROI U21), Leo Shahar (England U19) and several U17s (Alabi, Mair, Dowell) also featured across youth fixtures. newcastleunited.com

Why This International Window Matters for Newcastle

This was the first international round of the 2025/26 season, arriving right after a dramatic transfer deadline day and a breathless opening to the Premier League campaign. With Champions League football back on Tyneside and squad turnover (notably the arrivals of Woltemade and Wissa), Howe needed fitness, form, and confidence to trend upward—not knocks or fatigue. The good news: goals from Tonali and Bruno, minutes for England trio Gordon–Burn–Livramento, and a flying start for Wissa. The (manageable) caveat: altitude wear for Bruno in La Paz and heavy minutes for certain starters that Howe will monitor. newcastleunited.comReuters

Player-by-Player Analysis & Ratings

Ratings reflect international performance this window (context-adjusted: opposition quality, venue, role, minutes).

Sandro Tonali — Italy — 9/10

• Estonia 0–5 Italy: Started, 76’ in a controlled win.

• Israel 4–5 Italy (Debrecen): Injury-time winner, decisive in a chaotic nine-goal match.
  Why it matters for NUFC: Tonali’s rhythm and confidence look excellent; his late-game compsure will translate into Newcastle’s midfield control and late-phase chance creation. newcastleunited.comESPN.com

Bruno Guimarães — Brazil — 8/10

• Brazil 3–0 Chile (Maracanã): Scored; all-action 90 minutes.

• Bolivia 1–0 Brazil (La Paz): High-altitude grind; Brazil lost, but Bruno’s engine held.
  NUFC upside: Goal threat and tempo setting looked sharp. Recovery from altitude is the only management note before the weekend. newcastleunited.comESPN.comReuters

Joelinton — Brazil — 7/10

• Called up alongside Bruno. His return after a knock is encouraging; minutes managed sensibly.
  NUFC upside: Progressive power carrier back fit and involved—ideal for Howe’s pressing traps. newcastleunited.com

Anthony Gordon — England — 7.5/10

• England 2–0 Andorra (Villa Park): Came on ~68’, added thrust vs a compact block.

• Serbia 0–5 England (Belgrade): Started and involved in waves of chance creation before subbed; national media split on the final rating, but involvement was strong.
  NUFC upside: Confident, direct, and defensively diligent. He returns in good nick after a morale-boosting night in Belgrade. newcastleunited.comESPN.comGeordie Boot BoysReuters

Dan Burn — England — 7/10

• Andorra: Started at centre-back, clean sheet; did the simple things well.

• Serbia: Rotation choice; England were commanding regardless.
  NUFC upside: Useful rhythm builder and a reminder he remains a trustworthy defensive plug for Howe at CB/LB. newcastleunited.comESPN.com

Tino Livramento — England — 7/10

• Andorra: Impact sub from ~68’, injected energy down the flank.

• Serbia: On the bench as England ran riot; minutes managed prudently.
  NUFC upside: Fresh, fit, and ready to challenge for starts or be the high-leverage closer late in games. newcastleunited.com

Nick Woltemade — Germany — 6.5/10

• Slovakia 2–0 Germany (away): Started; a tough night for the attack.

• Germany 3–1 Northern Ireland (Cologne): Assisted Serge Gnabry after 7’; subbed ~61’.
  NUFC upside: Direct G/A contribution and valuable minutes vs two very different defensive looks. Chemistry is building; expect Howe to leverage his link play quickly. ESPN.comNewcastleWorldnewcastleunited.com

Yoane Wissa — DR Congo — 8.5/10

• South Sudan 1–4 DR Congo (away): 1 goal + 1 assist; subbed 62’.

• Senegal (home): Set to play after this report’s cut-off; first game already showed end-product.
  NUFC upside: End-product travels. Wissa arrives hot—perfect for Howe’s wide forward rotation and as a 9 if needed. newcastleunited.comESPN.com

Emil Krafth — Sweden — 6.5/10

• Slovenia 2–2 Sweden: DNP.

• Kosovo 2–0 Sweden (Pristina): On at 66’; steady defensively amid a difficult team night.
  NUFC upside: Match fitness topped up; remains a dependable utility full-back option. newcastleunited.comThe Guardian

Anthony Elanga — Sweden — 7.5/10

• Slovenia 2–2 Sweden: Scored inside 20’; lively throughout.

• Kosovo 2–0 Sweden: Started, subbed 72’; Sweden struggled to break lines.
  NUFC upside: Pace and verticality intact; goal confidence should carry into his Newcastle minutes. newcastleunited.comESPN.comWorld Football

Lewis Miley — England U21 — 7.5/10

• Kazakhstan U21 0–2 England U21: Started (77’); assured on the half-turn as England launched their title defence with a win.
  NUFC upside: Valuable tempo-control reps at international U21 level for a teenager who looks first-team-ready. newcastleunited.com

Will Osula — Denmark — N/A minutes (positive note)

• Scotland (0–0) and Greece (3–0): Unused sub in both; still a milestone camp.
  NUFC upside: Senior-squad integration at international level is a solid development step; sharpness maintained in training. newcastleunited.com

Alex Murphy — Republic of Ireland U21 — N/A minutes

• Moldova U21 1–2 ROI U21: Unused sub; next up Andorra U21 at home.
  NUFC upside: In the national picture, minutes likely across the campaign. newcastleunited.com

Leo Shahar — England U19 — 7/10

• Ukraine U19 (2–0): Debut as second-half sub.

• Spain U19 (3–3): Full debut; solid 69’.

• Netherlands U19 (4–1): Started; completed 62’.
  NUFC upside: High-rep week at right-back underlines his pathway; attributes align with Howe’s full-back profile. newcastleunited.com

U17s (Sam Alabi, George Mair, Roman Dowell) — England U17 — 8/10 (group)

• Venezuela U17 (2–1): Alabi captain, Mair started, Dowell bench.

• Israel U17 (2–1): Alabi off the bench; both keepers unused.

• Germany U17 (7–5): Alabi captain again and scored; Dowell full 90.
  NUFC upside: Academy pipeline is healthy; leadership and output at youth level is exactly what Newcastle’s sporting project seeks. newcastleunited.com

Match-by-Match Context & Notes

England: From “functional” vs Andorra to “fearless” in Belgrade

• Andorra 0–2 (Villa Park, 6 Sep): Tuchel’s men did enough; Declan Rice scored, and Gordon/Livramento got late minutes while Burn started and kept it clean. Punditry called it laboured, but the plan was about managing loads and avoiding jeopardy. ESPN.comSky Sports

• Serbia 0–5 England (Belgrade, 9 Sep): As complete an away performance as England have posted under Tuchel. Gordon played 69’, stretching Serbia’s line; England kept a perfect record (5 wins/5 clean sheets). The GuardianReuters

Brazil: Highs at the Maracanã, thin air in El Alto

• 3–0 vs Chile (Rio): Bruno on the scoresheet in a statement win.

• 0–1 at Bolivia (La Paz): A reality check at 4,000m+—hard on legs/lungs for any midfielder. Manage the altitude hangover on his return. ESPN.comReuters

Germany: Early turbulence, but a response

• 0–2 at Slovakia: A rare away qualifying defeat for Germany; Woltemade learned hard lessons vs a compact block.

• 3–1 vs Northern Ireland: Early assist from Woltemade restored confidence for player and team. Expect media discourse to soften after the Cologne response. ESPN.comNewcastleWorld

DR Congo: Wissa wastes no time

• 4–1 at South Sudan: Goal + assist in 62 minutes—exactly the end-product Newcastle bought. Second match vs Senegal scheduled after this write-up; the opener already shows he arrives sharp. ESPN.com

Sweden: Elanga’s spark and Krafth’s reliability

• 2–2 at Slovenia: Elanga put Sweden ahead with a composed finish.

• 0–2 at Kosovo: Chasing the game, Krafth introduced on 66’; Sweden struggled for incision. For Howe, both come back healthy. ESPN.comThe Guardian

Italy: Tonali the closer

• 5–0 vs Estonia → 5–4 vs Israel: Tonali started one, decided the other with an added-time winner—a confidence jolt that mirrors his best Milan days. newcastleunited.comESPN.com

What It Means for Newcastle’s Next Two Weeks

Selection Picture

• Midfield: Tonali–Bruno both return with goals and heavy influence—prime candidates to start. Expect Howe to watch Bruno’s recovery markers post-La Paz before finalising minutes. Reuters

• Wingers/Forwards: Gordon (sharp), Elanga (scored for Sweden), and Wissa (G/A for DR Congo) create high-quality selection headaches. Woltemade’s assist suggests he’s match-ready to contribute as facilitator or focal point. ESPN.comESPN.comNewcastleWorld

• Defence: Burn banked clean-sheet minutes with England; Livramento is fresh after a controlled load. Krafth adds depth if Howe wants rotation. newcastleunited.com

Tactical Ripples

• Transitions: Wissa and Elanga add vertical pace to complement Gordon’s duel-winning and inside-channel runs.

• Set-Plays: Burn’s rhythm and Tonali’s deliveries strengthen both boxes.

• Pressing Shape: With Woltemade’s link-play and Bruno’s covering lines, Howe can toggle between 5-man press triggers and a rest-defence box without sacrificing progression.

Sports-science Watch-outs

• Altitude effect (Bruno in La Paz): short-term fatigue risk—monitor HRV/sleep metrics; a second-half cameo is a sensible floor if he’s sub-optimal. Reuters

• High-intensity minutes (Gordon, Tonali): both handled well; micro-dose recovery (RFD priming, short accelerations) will keep them peaking for the weekend.

 Quick Facts & Data (Great for Snippets)

• England (Sept 6 & 9): 2–0 vs Andorra (Villa Park) → 5–0 at Serbia (Belgrade); Gordon, Burn, Livramento involved across the two wins. ESPN.comReuters

• Brazil (Sept 4 & 10): 3–0 vs Chile (Bruno scored) → 0–1 at Bolivia (La Paz). ESPN.comReuters

• Italy (Sept 5 & 8): 5–0 vs Estonia → 5–4 vs Israel, Tonali winner 90+. newcastleunited.comESPN.com

• Germany (Sept 4 & 7): 0–2 at Slovakia → 3–1 vs Northern Ireland; Woltemade assist. ESPN.comNewcastleWorld

• DR Congo (Sept 5): 4–1 at South Sudan; Wissa 1G/1A (62’). ESPN.com

• Sweden (Sept 5 & 8): 2–2 at Slovenia (Elanga scored) → 0–2 at Kosovo (Krafth sub 66’). ESPN.comThe Guardian

• England U21 (Sept 8): Kazakhstan 0–2 England; Lewis Miley started (77’). newcastleunited.com

Summary Table: Newcastle Players on International Duty (Last Few Days)

*Minutes are approximate where not officially specified in sources.

Tactical Takeaways for Howe

1. Right Now, Midfield Is the Superpower
   With Tonali and Bruno both scoring and looking authoritative, Newcastle can roll out a double-pivot capable of controlling possession and creating. Against low blocks, Tonali’s quick diagonals and Bruno’s under-lap combos should unpick compact shapes. newcastleunited.comESPN.com

2. Wing Choice Is A Good Problem
   Gordon retains his shirt on form; Wissa brings hard running and penalty-box timing; Elanga is a transition weapon. Howe can horses-for-courses this trio based on opponent full-back tendencies. ESPN.com

3. Nine Role, Multiple Looks
   Woltemade showed he can link and assist at international level. If Howe wants a classic 9 who drops to connect, Nick fits; if he wants depth wide-to-in, Wissa can lead the line with runners beyond. NewcastleWorld

4. Defensive Flex
   Burn’s left-side CB/LB flexibility, Livramento’s late-game surges, and Krafth’s safe hands give Howe license to adjust between 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1, or lock down leads without sacrificing outlets. newcastleunited.com

Frequently Asked Questions (SEO)

Q: Which Newcastle player made the biggest international impact?
A: Sandro Tonali’s stoppage-time winner for Italy edges it, with Bruno Guimarães (goal vs Chile) and Yoane Wissa (goal + assist for DR Congo) close behind. ESPN.com+2ESPN.com+2

Q: Did any Magpies struggle?
A: Germany stumbled in Slovakia, making it a learning experience for Nick Woltemade, who responded with an assist in the next match. Sweden’s loss in Kosovo limited attacking returns for Elanga, though he scored earlier vs Slovenia. ESPN.comNewcastleWorldESPN.com

Q: Any injuries or fitness red flags?
A: None reported across the senior group. The only caution is altitude fatigue for Bruno post-La Paz; expect normal rotation if needed. Reuters

Q: How did England’s Newcastle trio do?
A: Burn started a clean-sheet vs Andorra; Gordon and Livramento added late energy there. In Belgrade, Gordon was involved in chance creation as England produced their best display of the campaign. ESPN.comReuters

Verdict: Newcastle Return With Momentum (and Options)

• Form risers: Tonali, Bruno, Wissa, Elanga

• Fitness wins: Gordon, Burn, Livramento, Krafth

• Integration trend: Woltemade (assist), Osula (senior Denmark camp), Miley (U21 starter)

For Eddie Howe, this window was close to perfect: no injuries, multiple goal contributions, and big-game confidence injected into the engine room. It sets Newcastle up to attack the league restart and rotate through European nights with far greater flexibility.

Sources & Match Reports

Where possible, we’ve anchored to official club updates and tier-one outlets for match verification:

• Official NUFC roundup with call-ups and outcomes (Tonali winner; Wissa G/A; Woltemade assist; England trio minutes; Elanga/Krafth; youth): newcastleunited.com

• England: Andorra (Villa Park) and Serbia (Belgrade) match coverage & reaction. ESPN.comReutersThe Guardian

• Italy: Tonali’s stoppage-time winner vs Israel. ESPN.com

• Brazil: Bruno’s goal vs Chile; Bolivia result. ESPN.comReuters

• Germany: Slovakia upset; NI win with Woltemade assist. ESPN.comNewcastleWorld

• DR Congo: Wissa 1G/1A vs South Sudan. ESPN.com

• Sweden: Elanga goal vs Slovenia; Krafth minutes vs Kosovo. ESPN.comThe Guardian

• England U21: Miley in 2–0 at Kazakhstan (noted in NUFC official roundup).