Newcastle United star set for suspension blow after rule change - could now miss Arsenal game

Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes is walking a disciplinary tightrope - with a one-match ban just around the corner.

The Brazilian is currently on four yellow cards for the 2023-24 Premier League season and another before matchday 20 - Liverpool away on December 30 - will result in an automatic suspension.

The good news is Guimaraes is available to feature in next weekend’s trip to Wolverhampton Wanderers. However, the less so positive news is if the 25-year-old is cautioned in that game, he’ll be forced to miss the visit of Arsenal to St James’ Park seven days later.

Given the midfielder’s style of play, it’s unlikely he’ll avoid another yellow card in each of the next 11 games. And head coach Eddie Howe has already confirmed he won’t be asking Guimaraes to change his approach.

“It’s like any player, reining in [his aggression] maybe not because you take something away from his natural game,” said Howe speaking before the 4-0 win over Crystal Palace. “It’s the bookings that are needless that we want to try and take out of our games.

“The rules now mean there will be more yellow cards so the referees [have] definitely tightened up over the summer in terms of discipline, time-wasting and loads of little things to the game where you can and some of our players have picked up a yellow card for nothing, or perceived nothing.

“More yellow cards means more suspensions so we have to be careful. But certainly, I don’t want to be taking aggression out of anyone’s game, it’s the indiscipline ones that we want to try and eradicate.”

Newcastle have already had one player suspended this season with Anthony Gordon missing the draw at West Ham because of the five-bookings rule.

Behind Gordon and Guimaraes is Kieran Trippier, Sandro Tonali and Sean Longstaff with two yellow cards, while Callum Wilson, Dan Burn, Callum Wilson, Fabian Schar, Harvey Barnes, Joelinton, Matt Targett, Miguel Almiron and Sven Botman have one.