The festive schedule is here and the fixtures are coming thick and fast, with three games in the next 11 days and a whopping NINE matches over the manic month of January.
Injuries are a problem, with seven players already ruled out of tomorrow’s clash with Chelsea in Dan Burn, Sven Botman, Tino Livramento, Kieran Trippier, Emil Krafth, Jamaal Lascelles and Will Osula.
However, alongside our injury woes, one suspension concern is lingering in midfield as Bruno Guimaraes runs the risk of a ban.
The Brazilian picked up his first yellow card of the season in last Sunday’s defeat at Sunderland, and Premier League rules state that any player who is booked five times before the midway point of the season faces a one-match ban.
This means Bruno must avoid a booking in our next three games, with the rule changing to a ban after 10 yellow cards after the 19th fixture of the league season (Burnley away on 30th December).
So, if Bruno gets a yellow tomorrow he’ll miss our Boxing Day trip to Man Utd, and if he’s booked at Old Trafford he’ll miss Burnley away. Pick up a caution at Burnley and he’d miss our home clash with Crystal Palace on January 4th.
Saturday 20th December – Newcastle vs Chelsea (12.30pm – TNT Sports) Premier League
Friday 26th December – Man Utd vs Newcastle (8pm – Sky Sports) Premier League
Tuesday 30th December – Burnley vs Newcastle (7.30pm – Sky Sports) Premier League
Sunday 4th January – Newcastle vs Crystal Palace (3pm – Sky Sports) Premier League
Elsewhere, Dan Burn and Joelinton are both on three yellows for the league season, with Jacob Ramsey and Malick Thiaw picking up two, meaning they’d have to be booked in all three of our upcoming games to face suspension.