Joelinton is on the verge of a two-match ban for Newcastle United in the Premier League - but a recent injury could see him escape punishment.

The Brazilian has been booked nine times in the Premier League so far this season but picked up a knee injury after being booked in the recent 2-1 defeat against Fulham at St James’ Park. Joelinton has already served a one-match ban after picking up five bookings inside Newcastle’s opening 19 matches of the Premier League season - missing December’s trip to Ipswich Town.

Having picked up four more bookings since returning from suspension, the combative midfielder must now go the next eight Premier League matches without picking up a booking for Newcastle or else he will be banned for two matches. His recent injury has ruled him out of Newcastle’s last two cup matches and is likely to keep him sidelined for Saturday’s trip to Manchester City as well as the upcoming matches against Nottingham Forest and Liverpool.

It’s a blow for Newcastle, particularly if Joelinton then picks up a yellow card to miss a further two matches. But his chances of being banned have dropped from a near certainty to only likely given that by the time he returns,ei he will only have to go five matches without picking up a booking.

It wouldn’t be the first time Joelinton has served such a suspension as, during the 2022-23 season, he missed two matches after picking up 10 bookings.

What Premier League rules say about bookings

Premier League rules state that any player who accumulates 10 bookings inside the opening 32 Premier League matches must serve a two-match ban.

While Joelinton is close to a ban, no other Newcastle players are at serious risk just yet. Dan Burn has seven bookings to his name but is also out injured while Sandro Tonali and Fabian Schar have five bookings.

Tonali would have to be booked five more times in Newcastle’s next eight matches in order to be banned. Bruno Guimaraes and Lewis Hall have been booked three times while Anthony Gordon, Sean Longstaff, Jacob Murphy, Nick Pope and Joe Willock have two bookings.

Sven Botman, Alexander Isak, Kieran Trippier and Callum Wilson all have one yellow card each.

After the 10 booking, 32 game threshold is passed - any player shown 15 bookings over the course of the season is handed a three-match ban. To date, no player has ever been cautioned that many times during a single Premier League campaign.

Do bookings & bans impact the cup competitions?

For those panicking about the FA Cup fifth round against Brighton & Hove Albion or the Carabao Cup final against Liverpool on March 16 - don’t!

Booking suspensions are competition-specific, meaning a suspension picked up as a result of accumulating yellow cards in the Premier League is served only in the Premier League while a suspension picked up in the cup competitions is served in that specific competition.

Still, the rules are different for red cards, which do transcend competitions. Newcastle found that out when they reached the Carabao Cup final in 2023 when Bruno Guimaraes was sent off in the semi-final second leg against Southampton and missed the three following matches for Newcastle which all happened to be in the Premier League before being back available for the final.

But Nick Pope wasn’t so fortunate after his sending-off in the Premier League against Liverpool led to him missing the final at Wembley Stadium as Newcastle lost 2-0 to Manchester United.