Midfielder to miss Newcastle United v Bournemouth clash following Nottingham Forest incident

Newcastle United go in search of back-to-back Premier League wins this weekend and will face a Bournemouth side that will not be able to call upon the services of Philip Billing. Billing will serve the second of a three-match ban after he was shown a straight red card for catching Nottingham Forest winger Callum Hudson-Odoi with his studs earlier this month.

Billing was shown a straight red card by referee Rebecca Welch on that occasion as VAR upheld the decision to send the Danish international off. Billing, therefore, didn’t feature in their defeat to Fulham last weekend, nor will he play at St James’ Park on Saturday or against Manchester City next weekend.

Speaking about the red card, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola described it as a ‘harsh’ call. "I think his foot is touching the floor. It's nothing dangerous,” Iraola said. “It's too harsh to be a red card. 

“There was nothing in there. I felt it was going to be a yellow. VAR has obviously seen it in and decided not to overturn the decision.But I think we did quite well with 10 players. We survived."

Newcastle United, meanwhile, were briefly linked with a move for Billing during the January transfer window as a way to bolster their options in the middle of the park. Billing has impressed since joining the Cherries from Huddersfield Town in 2019 and worked with current Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe for a season at the Vitality Stadium but couldn’t help prevent their relegation to the Championship after five years in the top-flight.