Newcastle United's English head coach Eddie Howe applauds the fans at the end of the English Premier League football match between Newcastle United and Sunderland at St James' Park in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, north east England on March 22, 2026. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP via Getty Images)placeholder image
Newcastle United's English head coach Eddie Howe applauds the fans at the end of the English Premier League football match between Newcastle United and Sunderland at St James' Park in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, north east England on March 22, 2026. (Photo by ANDY BUCHANAN / AFP via Getty Images) | AFP via Getty Images
Newcastle United have one player at risk of a Premier League ban heading into the final seven games of the season.
Newcastle United midfielder Joelinton will be walking a disciplinary tightrope following his ninth booking of the season against Sunderland on Sunday.
Fortunately, it’s only a short walk as he will have to get through Newcastle’s next Premier League match against Crystal Palace in order to avoid a ban.
The Brazilian was the only Magpies player cautioned during Sunday’s 2-1 Tyne-Wear derby defeat to Sunderland at St James' Park.
Joelinton booked v Sunderland
The 29-year-old received a stoppage-time yellow card for ushering Sunderland players away from the advertising hoardings following Brian Brobbey’s late goal, in an attempt to get the game restarted quickly. That caution marked Joelinton’s ninth booking of the Premier League campaign.
Under top-flight rules, any player who accumulates 10 yellow cards before the 32-game cut-off point is handed an automatic two-match ban. Players avoid suspension if they pass the 32-game mark without reaching 10 cautions.
Fortunately for the player, the threshold is within sight. Newcastle’s next Premier League fixture away at Crystal Palace on April 12 is their 32nd league game of the season.
If Joelinton can navigate the match at Selhurst Park without a booking, he will successfully escape the ban. Should he be cautioned, he will be forced to miss the following matches against AFC Bournemouth and Arsenal.
No other players at risk of Premier League ban
Joelinton is the only member of Eddie Howe’s squad currently in danger of a yellow card accumulation ban. Dan Burn has been booked seven times this season, while captain Bruno Guimaraes has five cautions, meaning neither can reach the threshold in time to trigger a suspension.
While the Magpies have not had any players suspended for yellow card accumulation yet this season, disciplinary issues have cost them elsewhere. Both Burn and Jacob Ramsey have served one-match bans after being sent off for two yellows in a single game, while Anthony Gordon served a three-match ban following a straight red card against Liverpool earlier in the campaign.
With United currently 12th in the table and only seven games remaining, keeping key players like Joelinton available will be vital for Howe as he manages a squad and a midfield already depleted by injuries.
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