Two Newcastle United players are now just one booking away from suspension

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Two Newcastle United players are now just one yellow card away from being suspended for a Premier League game as they travel down to Luton this weekend.

Newcastle’s injury list has been piling up in the last couple of months and really restricting Eddie Howe in who he can choose for these big games, so a suspension, let alone two, is absolutely the last thing they need right now.

Both Jamaal Lascelles and Sean Longstaff have accumulated four yellow cards in the Premier League so far and are at risk of missing Newcastle’s game against Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day if they pick up another against Luton.

Newcastle need as many players they can get

There will be a chance for Newcastle to add reinforcements when the January window opens next month, but for now they need to keep all of their currently fit players available for as long as possible to see out the Christmas period.

Longstaff and Lascelles have become integral to the team not just because of injuries but because they’ve been playing at a higher level than we’ve ever seen before.

When Lascelles came into the team following Sven Botman’s injury, there was a big fear that Newcastle’s defence wold completely collapse, but the 30-year-old has certainly held his own in the team.

Newcastle also miss the hard work of Longstaff when he is out of the side, and with no Joelinton available either, the midfield would struggle in any game regardless of the opposition.

Newcastle have become more physical this season

Last year, Newcastle picked up just 62 yellow cards in total across the Premier League season which was the 13th highest amount of any team.

That has taken a turn this season as the current total after just 17 games is already 41 which has lifted them to the eighth highest in the league.

Evidently either Howe is asking the players to be more physical in games than they were last year or the players have been taking matters into their own hands. Perhaps the added frustration of exiting two tournaments at this stage is also impacting these numbers.

Either way, Newcastle are on track to accumulate more yellow cards than Leeds who had picked up the most all of last season with 84, but hopefully both Longstaff and Lascelles can avoid another two this weekend.