Sandro Tonali decision looming at Newcastle and what Eddie Howe has asked from players

Another week, another difficult team sheet to select for Eddie Howe at Newcastle United - probably exactly the way he wants it.

Only this time Howe does not have the same level of reasoning with his players that it's been a busy week. Howe stated after the game that Sandro Tonali was benched against Arsenal because he was managing his minutes during a packed fixture list.

This time Newcastle have had a week to go at it and decisions will need to be made ahead of the trip to the City Ground. Bringing the Italy international back in from the start means disappointing somebody.

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Although, it feels like this week there is only one real decision to make with a back four of Tino Livramento, Fabian Schar, Dan Burn and Lewis Hall pretty much flawless against Arsenal. Alexander Isak is back to his goalscoring best while Anthony Gordon occupying the right-hand side is working well.

Does Howe break up the left-sided trio of Hall, Joe Willock and Joelinton? It seems wrong to fix what isn't broken.

But in the centre of midfield, Howe's team has looked much stronger since Sean Longstaff returned? If that points to Tonali being on the bench it could lead to a tricky conversation with the £55million man.

For all that, Tonali may not be able to argue with Howe if he decides to stick with a winning team after beating title contenders Arsenal last Saturday. After last season's injury-plagued campaign at Newcastle, this season is a stark contrast with the majority of Howe's stars fit again.

Newcastle had gone into the meeting against Arsenal with no wins in five with the victory finally stopping the rot on Tyneside. Now the message Howe is delivering to his players is to rediscover some consistency.

The Magpies tackle one of the most in-form teams in the country in Nottingham Forest but Howe hopes to take some of the trends from the Arsenal win into the game.

Howe said: "It was concentration but consistency within our attitude which really pleased me. One moment you switch off and they get a chance, Arsenal had one right at the end of the game.

"But I thought we managed to control some very good players pretty well. Now we are looking for consistency moving forward.

"It's three points but it means so much because we hadn't won for a while in the Premier League. I'm sure it will do us the world of good."