Bruno Guimaraes has to be left out by Eddie Howe

This morning I was reading the match report from yesterday’s Newcastle 2 Crystal Palace 0 match.

Excellent stuff, as always, from Jamie Smith.

There was one thing though.

Sorry Jamie, you got this bit absolutely wrong…

And I quote: ‘Bruno Guimaraes has been an absolute talisman this season and I hate the thought of going into any game without him. Any chat of resting him for any forthcoming cup ties is mutinous and you should report your friends and neighbours to the militia if you hear of them spreading such filth.’

Obviously, I am not disagreeing with Mr Smith about the ‘talismanic’ qualities of our leader.

Bruno Guimaraes has been absolutely outstanding this season, his goal against Crystal Palace puts him joint top Premier League scorer this season for Newcastle United, on seven goals, the same as Nick Woltemade (who also has two goals in other competitions). Whilst Bruno also has four assists in total, two in the Premier League and two in the League Cup.

What I am disagreeing with the man from The Mag about, is the idea that it is ‘mutinous’ to suggest Bruno Guimaraes should be rested for any upcoming cup ties.

If it is unacceptable for Bruno Guimaraes to be left out of any cup tie, when exactly does he get a rest?

I take it for granted that of course Jamie is referring to Bournemouth on Saturday.

Bruno Guimaraes will absolutely, one hundred per cent, not start that FA Cup third round game.

It would be total madness. You can’t play your very best players every single match, certainly not when attacking four competitions AND especially not when you play in central midfield and have to run more yards than pretty much anybody else in other positions.

Since this season kicked off, Bruno Guimaraes in four and a half months has played in 34 of a possible 35 matches for club and country. Bruno has started all six of Brazil’s matches, whilst he has started 26 of Newcastle’s 29 and came off the bench in two of the three when named as a sub.

Bruno has started all six Champions League matches this season, started two in the Carabao Cup and came off the bench in the 80th minute of the 2-0 win over Spurs, whilst starting 18 of 20 in the league, sitting on the bench for the Bournemouth away game and replacing Tonali at half-time in the Spurs 2-2 match.

The thing is as well with Bruno Guimaraes, he hardly ever gets subbed off before the end of matches, he plays pretty much every minute of game after game after game.

Just because he appears immune from getting injured, doesn’t mean that this is the reality.

On 26 December Bruno Guimaraes played every minute of the Man U match, same again on 30 December at Burnley, same again against Palace on 4 January, does anybody seriously think the NUFC captain should start on Saturday 10 January against Bournemouth in the FA Cup, after surely also having started and played the full game on Wednesday 7 January against Leeds?

Three days after the Bournemouth FA Cup match, Newcastle United have Manchester City in the semi-final first leg of the Carabao Cup.

We need a fresh as possible Bruno Guimaraes leading our very best (fresh) eleven against Man City, that is the reality and what surely the fans need to accept is the case.

What needs to happen and almost certainly will do, is that pretty much all of those on the subs bench against Leeds on Wednesday, will then start against Bournemouth on Saturday, with then the starting eleven against Leeds more or less brought back in for Man City.

There will be odd exceptions and for example, I imagine Fabian Schar may start against both Leeds and Bournemouth, as he is suspended for the Man City match.

Eddie Howe has done an amazing job this season when you consider all the issues he has had to deal with beyond his control, including a ridiculous number of injuries and suspensions.

Against Burnley we thankfully saw Pope, Joelinton and Wissa able to come into the starting eleven, then against Palace the trio of Tino, Trippier and Botman finally made it back into the matchday squad.

This Saturday against Bournemouth is the match above all others so far, where Eddie Howe has to make full use of his squad…and thankfully it coincides with finally the NUFC boss getting back towards something that resembles a fully functioning squad with credible alternatives all around the pitch.