LONDON – Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe said the FA’s decision to charge Sandro Tonali over alleged betting breaches came as no surprise to the club and he hopes the midfielder escapes further punishment.

Tonali, who is already serving a 10-month ban from the Italian Football Federation over betting breaches when he was playing in Serie A, was charged by the FA on March 28 for allegedly breaking its rules 50 times by placing bets on matches between Aug 12 and Oct 12, 2023.