£85m Newcastle United duo facing Premier League ban after Arsenal incidents

Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes is set to be targeted by Arsenal this Saturday (8pm kick-off) as he faces a two-match Premier League ban.

The Brazilian has been shown nine yellow cards in the Premier League this season and is just one more booking away from a two-match ban. Guimaraes has managed to avoid a booking in each of Newcastle's last four league matches since he picked up his ninth yellow card in a 3-2 defeat to Manchester City last month.

Guimaraes was also booked during the reverse fixture against Arsenal at St James' Park as The Magpies claimed a 1-0 win. However, there were claims the 26-year-old was fortunate to stay on the pitch after his arm connected with the back of Jorginho's head as he ran past the Arsenal midfielder.

But Guimaraes has kept his discipline in recent matches as he remains under threat of a ban.

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe said: "I think he's managed [the threat of suspension] really well so far and has been his normal self.

"He hasn't, for me, looked like it's conscious in his mind when he's playing because I don't think it can be. He's played with discipline and done a great job for the team." 

Anthony Gordon is also at risk of a two-match ban after picking up his eighth booking of the season following a stoppage-time foul in the 3-1 win at Aston Villa last month. The 23-year-old scored the winner when Newcastle last faced Arsenal and was also booked in that game.

The Magpies duo have already been handed one-match suspensions earlier this season after accumulating five yellow cards in Newcastle's first 19 Premier League matches. Kieran Trippier was also handed such a suspension.

Now Newcastle have played 25 Premier League matches, the suspension threshold has moved to 10 yellow cards with a 32-match cut-off point. So any player shown 10 yellow cards up to and including a club's 32nd match of the Premier League season will be handed a two-match ban.

As a result, Guimaraes has to avoid picking up another booking in each of Newcastle's next seven league matches or else he will be handed a two-game suspension with Gordon having to avoid another two bookings over the same period.

Guimaraes' importance to Newcastle is stressed by the fact the side have failed to win all seven of the matches the midfielder has missed since he arrived at the club over two years ago.

Elsewhere in Newcastle's squad, Trippier, Sean Longstaff and Joelinton have been booked five times.

Jamaal Lascelles and Fabian Schar have four bookings while Dan Burn has three so far this season. Sandro Tonali, Callum Wilson and Sven Botman have been booked twice while Miguel Almiron, Harvey Barnes, Tino Livramento, Matt Ritchie, Matt Targett, Lewis Hall, Lewis Miley, Jacob Murphy and Martin Dubravka all have one Premier League booking each.