A general view of Newcastle United supporters waiting outside the stadium for news of the latest developments in the sale of the club to the Saudi sovereign wealth fund for 300 million-pound ($408 million) takeover in Newcastle Upon Tyne, England Thursday Oct. 7, 2021. (AP Photo/Scott Heppell)
Eddie Howe will be anxious to avoid losing any players in the coming weeks, but following a 1-1 draw with Manchester City, two stars are already walking the fine line.
Even without the responsibilities of playing in Europe, Newcastle’s schedule is expected to get busier in the upcoming days and weeks. Dan Burn and Joelinton, among other players, will now need to be extra cautious with their movements to avoid becoming the first ones suspended this season.
Joelinton, a Brazilian international, was booked for the fourth time against City and is now one match away from facing a suspension in the Premier League. He believed that he had to tackle Erling Haaland after he fouled him in order to stop him from doing more harm in the closing third.
While Burn did not receive a yellow card during the game, he still has three and is two games away from suspension. The two can play against Everton the next day before the international break in October.
Joelinton would have to avoid a booking in Newcastle’s next 13 Premier League games in order to meet the cutoff mark, which is after the 19th game. Newcastle’s schedule includes games against Brighton, Chelsea, Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, and West Ham following the international break in October.
After trailing in the first half against Pep Guardiola’s star-studded team at St James’ Park, Newcastle managed to salvage a valuable point. In the 35th minute, Josko Gvardiol opened the score after being given the time and room to complete Jack Grealish’s pass down the left.
Anthony Gordon subsequently gained a penalty in the second half without Alexander Isak, and he scored with precision from the spot.
Howe was happy with his team’s effort and their ability to force a draw with the winners. “We are happy, especially after last week,” he stated. “We played our style, bold, and it was a wonderful display. It was a straight-up battle between the two sides lasting about seventy minutes.
“They were stronger than us in the final 20 minutes, so we had to play excellent defense to keep the point. We found some excellent crossing opportunities, and I was extremely happy with our off-ball play and overall game strategy. That’s all I can ask for, and the boys gave it their all.”
