Newcastle United have been handed a big injury lift over Joelinton ahead of their Premier League match today…
What’s the latest?
Magpies reporter Jordan Cronin has claimed that the Brazilian central midfielder has travelled with the squad to Stamford Bridge ahead of their clash with Chelsea.
The former Hoffenheim forward missed out on Thursday night as the Toon beat Southampton 2-1 at St. Mary’s and he now looks set to make his return this afternoon.
Delight
Eddie Howe will surely be delighted with this news as it suggests that Joelinton will be available against the Blues today. It also means that the midfielder has not sustained a long-term injury and will not be out for a number of matches.
This is a major boost for the Magpies as he has been in terrific form since the ex-Bournemouth boss came in to replace Steve Bruce. He has been moved into a midfield role, after playing up front and out wide under Bruce, and is now thriving in black and white.
In the Premier League this season, he has made 3.4 tackles and interceptions and won 7.7 duels per game. This shows that he has been a powerhouse in the middle of the park as he is consistently winning the ball back for the side and working his socks off to beat the opposition in his individual battles.
He has averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.9 or higher across each month from November to February and this illustrates the difference Howe has made to his performances. In October, he averaged a SofaScore rating of 6.0 across the month under Bruce and this suggests that he was struggling to find his best form for the now-West Brom manager.
Howe has been able to get the best out of the Brazilian and his statistics show that he has been a key player for the club in recent months. This is why the head coach will be delighted to have him available for this clash with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Joelinton’s combative play in the middle of the park will be crucial for Newcastle if he is selected from the start. His ability to make tackles and intercept passes will allow him to dampen the effect Mateo Kovacic and Jorginho have on the game as he would be cutting out their attempts to find the likes of Kai Havertz and Mason Mount on the ball.
AND in other news, Worse than Almiron: Howe must axe Newcastle “cheat” who averages 32.1 touches per game…
