Eddie Howe has held talks with £40m Newcastle United player as suspension looms

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Eddie Howe believes it is too early in the season for his Newcastle United squad to be dealing with suspensions.

The Magpies have already suffered from one ban this season, with Fabian Schar receiving a three-game suspension after his red card against Southampton.

Craig Pawson was the referee that day, and he is set to take charge of Everton vs Newcastle United on Saturday.

But while Schar is back and proving to be pivotal for the Magpies, there is another Newcastle United player at risk of making themselves unavailable.

How many bookings Joelinton is away from a suspension

Joelinton has started all six of Newcastle’s Premier League games this season.

He scored the winner on the opening day against Southampton, while Joelinton was praised for his performance in the recent draw with Manchester City.

The 28-year-old played in a hybrid role last weekend, while he also tested the patience of the referee. He was booked for a foul on Jack Grealish, which proved to be Joelinton’s fourth yellow card of the season.

If he gets one more yellow card before Newcastle’s 20th game of the season then he will serve a one-game suspension. Given the fact that the Magpies have only played six Premier League games so far, a one-game ban feels inevitable.

• READ MORE: Who is Joelinton? Age, Height, Chant, Position, Socials and More

Eddie Howe comments on Newcastle potentially losing Joelinton to suspension

That is a major concern so early on in the season, and Eddie Howe has spoken to the media about the fear of losing Joelinton to suspension.

“I’ve had many chats with Joe, on different things, that would be one part of it,” he said.

“We don’t want to miss him. Losing him is always very difficult, especially so early in the season. It feels too early in the season to lose a player to suspension.

“That is something he has to control – the ones he that are in his control. Sometimes with a tackle you can be a second late and get a booking, you accept that. But it’s the ones we need to eradicate from our game.”

Joelinton will always get bookings in his position

As Eddie Howe says, there are fouls that Joelinton can control and fouls that Joelinton cannot control.

With the way he plays in that area of the pitch, the £40million man is always going to run the risk of mistiming a tackle. It is a risk worth taking, as asking Joelinton to tone down that high intensity approach in the middle of the park would make him much less influential.

But there are things that Joelinton can do to minimise the likelihood of him getting that fifth yellow card of the season. Professional fouls and dissent must be avoided, as that would be a criminal way to earn yourself a one-match suspension.

It does feel extremely early for a player to be at risk of a suspension, but that kind of sums up Joelinton at the moment. He is a player who does not shirk away from tackles, while he has got a few wrong during what has been a tough start to the season.

But he improved against Manchester City, and will hopefully put in a disciplined performance against Everton.

Whether any other Newcastle players are at risk of a suspension

There are four other players in the Premier League who are one booking away from a suspension: Marc Cucurella, Wesley Fofana, Sam Morsy and Sasa Lukic.

At Newcastle United, there are only two other players who have picked up more than one booking in the Premier League this season.

Dan Burn is just behind Joelinton with three, while Bruno Guimaraes has two.