Newcastle United manager Matthias Jaissle acknowledged that facing former player Sandro Tonali, who recently transferred to Tottenham Hotspur, will provide an added incentive for his team in their upcoming Premier League match. Tonali, who moved to Tottenham for a significant fee this summer, will make his first appearance against Newcastle since his departure.

Jaissle highlighted the motivation that his players drew from the atmosphere directed at Liverpool striker Alexander Isak during their recent fixture, suggesting a similar dynamic could arise with Tonali’s return. The Italian midfielder’s exit from Newcastle was met with mixed reactions, particularly as it facilitated the arrival of Manchester City’s Nico Gonzalez, who is expected to make his Newcastle debut against Spurs this weekend.

“We are facing a huge challenge on Saturday,” Jaissle said in a pre-match press conference. “It is always nice to face old team-mates, so there should at least be special motivation. That worked against Isak already, so hopefully it will work for us on Saturday.”

Despite recognising the potential impact of fan reactions, Jaissle refrained from encouraging any hostile reception toward Tonali. Instead, he emphasized the importance of Newcastle supporters focusing their energy on backing the current squad. “I would love we have many, many supporters behind us in London. That’s the most important thing, focusing on our lads and bringing that energy on the pitch,” he stated.

Jaissle credited the strong support of fans for Newcastle’s recent performances, citing the team’s impressive showings against Liverpool and West Bromwich Albion as examples. The manager indicated that channeling crowd energy positively remains a key part of the team’s strategy ahead of their fixture at Tottenham.