Joelinton’s Suspension Drama: A Tale of Chaos and Comedy
Joelinton, Newcastle’s midfield warrior, found himself teetering on the brink of suspension, walking a tightrope of discipline for nine Premier League games with four bookings to his name. He only needed to tiptoe through four more matches to avoid a dreaded ban. But, in a twist straight out of a sitcom, the Leicester game proved to be his undoing.
Despite Newcastle comfortably cruising at 4-0 and head coach Eddie Howe issuing explicit instructions—”Joey, don’t get booked!”—the Brazilian dynamo couldn’t resist fate. Moments after Howe’s plea, Joelinton, with all the inevitability of a Shakespearean tragedy, clattered into James Justin, earning the yellow card that sent him into suspension limbo. You couldn’t script it if you tried.
Howe, equal parts baffled and resigned, told The Gazette, “It’s bizarre. I was literally telling him not to get booked, and he’s there like, ‘Don’t worry, boss, I won’t.’ Then BAM—two minutes later, yellow card. Honestly, you couldn’t make this up.” The frustration was palpable as Howe lamented losing such a key player: “Joelinton’s the kind of guy you need for every away game. He’s wholehearted, relentless—and now, well, at least he can play with no fear of suspension!”
The ban means Joelinton will sit out the trip to Ipswich but will return for Boxing Day’s clash against Aston Villa. He’s eligible for Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup tie against Brentford, where fans will likely hold their breath every time he goes into a tackle.
Meanwhile, Newcastle’s suspension saga deepens. Dan Burn has already done his time after accumulating five bookings, and now defenders Fabian Schär and Sandro Tonali are walking their own disciplinary tightropes. With crucial fixtures against Ipswich, Aston Villa, and Manchester United ahead, they must tread carefully—or risk joining Joelinton on the sidelines.
In the high-stakes world of Premier League football, it seems Newcastle’s biggest battle isn’t just against their opponents—it’s against the referee’s notebook.
