Joelinton and Sean Longstaff Newcastle suspensions explained as FA outline unique rule

Add as preferred source on Google

Midfield duo Joelinton and Sean Longstaff are both set to miss different games for Newcastle United.

Eddie Howe has experimented with Newcastle’s midfield trio a lot this season to try and strike the right balance, and he got it spot on against Leicester City.

Saturday’s 4-0 over Leicester win involved a midfield of Joelinton, Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali – but suspensions will force Howe to change that combination in upcoming matches.

Newcastle’s fixture list is hectic with four games in the next 14 days for the Magpies, starting with a crucial Carabao Cup quarter-final clash against Brentford on Wednesday evening.

• Carabao Cup 2024-25: Newcastle United results, highlights, fixture dates and more

Joelinton and Sean Longstaff suspended for Newcastle United

There were plenty of positives to take from Newcastle’s dominant win over Leicester, and one of the only negatives was Joelinton’s unnecessary booking.

Howe held ‘bizarre’ talks with Joelinton just moments before he made a clumsy tackle that saw his name taken by referee Thomas Bramall.

Joelinton was one yellow card away from a ban so Howe was urging the Brazilian from the sidelines to avoid any unneeded tackles.

After the full-time whistle, Howe explained: “It’s bizarre how things work. I’m talking to him from the side, he’s right in front of me and I’m saying ‘Joey, don’t get booked’, and he’s like ‘don’t worry I won’t’. Two minutes later he gets booked. You just couldn’t make it up.”

Sean Longstaff also finds himself facing a suspension after two bookings against Chelsea and AFC Wimbledon in the Carabao Cup.

What games will Joelinton and Sean Longstaff miss?

While Longstaff and Joelinton both find themselves facing a match ban, a unique FA rule means they will miss different games.

Longstaff’s two yellow cards were both in the Carabao Cup which results in a direct one-match suspension in that competition.

Joelinton’s yellow cards were picked up in the Premier League but will not carry over to the Carabao Cup, meaning he is still available for Wednesday evening’s clash. He will, however, miss Saturday’s trip to Ipswich Town.

As pointed out by reporter Andy Kerr, the “official answer” from the FA is that yellow cards are competition specific, while a red card does carry across all domestic competitions.