Newcastle United are sweating on the fitness of Joelinton ahead of tonight’s clash with Everton.
The 25-year-old has developed into a key player for Eddie Howe, playing a pivotal role in the Magpies’ midfield.
However, Joelinton has missed Newcastle’s previous two games, playing no part in the win over Southampton or the defeat to Chelsea. He was in attendance for both games, but not deemed fit enough for the bench.
Next up it’s Everton – Newcastle’s final game before the international break. And Howe has suggested that Joelinton could return.
“He is touch and go for this game,” Howe said ahead of the game.
“We have a decision to make. Whether we look after him with the break we have afterwards or whether we push him back out there – we’ll have to make a late call on that one.”
Newcastle aren’t desperate for Joelinton to return. Bruno Guimaraes and Sean Longstaff played brilliantly at Chelsea, while Joe Willock is much closer to a comeback.
But seeing the Brazilian against Everton would be a welcome sight.
Newcastle tweet suggests Joelinton will play against Everton
Ahead of the game, the club’s official Twitter posted an image with details of the game, such as kick off time and the name of the stadium – Goodison Park.
But the most interesting aspect of the image is its Brazilian flare…
As you can see above, there is a Brazilian flag in the top left corner, with pictures of the famous Joelinton Hawaiian shirts beneath. Does this suggest that he is ready to return tonight? If so, Dele Alli and co will be worried.
Joelinton has been in red hot form since Howe became manager. He’s had an incredible resurgence in a Toon shirt, becoming something of a fan favourite.
He’s been missed during the past two games, so it would be very exciting to see his name back on the teamsheet against Everton – even if he’s just a substitute.
Of course, we could be reading too much into this. After all, it is just a tweet…
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