Jamaal Lascelles and Matt Ritchie must now serve one-game bans after being booked for the fifth time this season in this afternoon’s 2-0 defeat to Arsenal.
Lascelles and Ritchie will sit out Tuesday night’s home Premier League game against Norwich City.
Asked if other players could take advantage of their absence, head coach Howe said: “Absolutely. That’s what the game’s all about.
"We’ll have to see what we can do in regards to the players who can’t play.”