Bruno Guimaraes issues 24-word Newcastle United message ahead of Liverpool clash amid cryptic posts
Bruno Guimaraes will captain Newcastle United against Liverpool tonight on what will be his 100th Premier League appearance.
The Brazilian had stayed quiet on Newcastle matters in the aftermath of Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Crystal Palace, though a couple of cryptic posts - perhaps unrelated to football - caught the attention of supporters.
Guimaraes didn’t upload his usual post-match assessment after his side lost out on three points to Daniel Munoz’s 94th minute equaliser, though has taken to social media ahead of this evening’s game kick-off 7:30pm).
On X, formerly known as Twitter, the Brazilian wrote: “Very happy to be making my 100th appearance in the premier league! let's make a great atmosphere tonight and fight for the 3 points”.
The 27-year-old has made 123 appearance for Newcastle since arriving from Lyon for £40million in January 2022. His opening 18 months coincided with the club’s rise from battling relegation to qualifying for the Champions League.
Having established himself as firm favourite, both on and off the pitch, Guimaraes joined the player leadership group in the summer and was voted as captain.
“I think it has been a positive thing for Bruno,” said Newcastle boss Eddie Howe. “I think he's really embraced it behind the scenes.
“I think he's been very good, his conduct on and off the pitch has been of a really high level and I think naturally through time his leadership skills will develop. I think that's only natural for someone who is captain of this club for the first time.
“It's a new dynamic among the players but I couldn't be happier with how he's embraced it and how he's attacked it. I'm sure he'll grow from this point onwards.”
The Magpies host Liverpool, who currently sit top of the Premier League table, nine points clear of second game Arsenal. Since succeeding Jurgen Klopp in the summer, new boss Arne Slot has tasted just one defeat in all competitions, winning 18 of his 20 matches so far.
Meanwhile, Howe’s side have struggled for consistency this season, leaving them 11th in the table. They also haven’t beaten the Reds since December 2015.