Eddie Howe makes three changes for Newcastle’s return to the Champions League vs AC Milan

Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe has made three changes to the side that beat Brentford on Saturday for tonight’s Champions League clash against AC Milan, ahead of the club’s long-awaited return to Europe’s most elite club competition.

After 20 years away, the Magpies are back in the Champions League and there is arguably no better way to mark that return than a trip to the San Siro to face Italian outfit AC Milan for their maiden Group F game.

Howe has made a number of changes to the side who snapped a three-game losing streak at the weekend against Brentford, with Jacob Murphy, Alexander Isak and Sandro Tonali named in the starting XI.

Murphy will start on the right side of the front three, whilst Isak replaces the match-winning Callum Wilson through the middle and Sandro Tonali is preferred in place of Elliot Anderson on his return to his former home.

As for the hosts, Stefano Piolo has also made three changes. Fikayo Tomori replaces Simon Kjaer at the back, Tommaso Pobega comes in for Tijjani Reijnders in midfield and Christian Pulisic drops to the bench for Samuel Chukwueze.

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Newcastle United Team News

Starting XI: Nick Pope; Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar, Sven Botman, Dan Burn; Sean Longstaff, Bruno Guimaraes, Sandro Tonali; Jacob Murphy, Alexander Isak, Anthony Gordon

Subs: Loris Karius, Aidan Harris, Matt Targett, Valentino Livramento, Jamaal Lascelles, Paul Dummett, Harvey Barnes, Elliot Anderson, Lewis Hall, Lewis Miley, Callum Wilson, Miguel Almiron

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AC Milan Team News

Starting XI: Mike Maignan; Davide Calabria, Malick Thiaw, Fikayo Tomori, Theo Hernandez; Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Rade Krunic, Tommaso Pobega; Samuel Chukwueze, Olivier Giroud, Rafael Leao

Subs: Antonio Mirante, Marco Sportiello, Simon Kjaer, Alessandro Florenzi, Davide Bartesaghi, Tijjani Reijnders, Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Yacine Adli, Luka Jovic, Noah Okafor

According to Champions League betting sites, AC Milan are the ever so slight favourites to get the job done at home with a price of 13/8, compared to the visitors at 7/4 as they look to mark their return to the competition with a victory.

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