‘Very lucky’ Newcastle United star avoids potential three-match Premier League ban

Three goals in the space of 15 second-half minutes wrapped up a comfortable win for Eddie Howe’s side as they pressed home their dominance for a first Premier League win in five outings. A brace from Jacob Murphy and goals from Alexander Isak and Guimaraes earned the three points - but should Guimaraes have been off the pitch before he headed home his goal just moments into the second period?

Late on in the first-half, Guimaraes went down in the Leicester area under a challenge from Jannik Vestegaard, but saw his appeals for a penalty waved away by Thomas Bramall. The referee subsequently gave the visitors a free-kick following the incident.

However, that free-kick was not awarded for simulation by the Brazilian, but instead for handball after his fall - a distinction that would prove very important just minutes later. Guimaraes was then again at the centre of the action when he caught Stephy Mavididi with his studs in the middle of the park. Bramall issued him a yellow card before Jarred Gilett on VAR duty quickly confirmed that a booking was the correct call as play continued.

However, speaking on Match of the Day, former Swansea City defender Ashley Williams revealed he was surprised to see Guimaraes stay on the pitch and not be shown either two bookings for those incidents or even a straight red for his ‘nasty’ tackle on Mavididi - one that would have seen him handed a three-match ban.

“He was very lucky because he should have got two yellows.” Williams said. “The first was a dive, he’s gone down early and I’m not sure why he doesn’t get booked for that unless the referee is saying it was maybe handball. I’m not sure but that’s a yellow card and he didn’t pick it up.

“He did get a yellow card a minute later for a tackle which was a little bit nasty. He’s gone over the top of the ball – and then he’s off. He actually pops up with a goal not long after that. I do think he’s a very lucky boy, Bruno.”