EDDIE HOWE admits there was a certain inevitability to Joelinton picking up a tenth booking of the season at some stage – but the Newcastle boss felt the Brazilian latest yellow card was undeserved.

Joelinton was booked in the second half of Newcastle’s 2-0 defeat at Manchester City for a foul on Ruben Dias, with the yellow card meaning he will now be hit with an automatic two-game ban.

The Brazilian will have to sit out the forthcoming league games with Wolves and Nottingham Forest, with the international break at the end of the month meaning he will not be available for selection until the Magpies host Manchester United on April 2.

Howe admits his absence will be a blow, but while he always felt another yellow card would arrive at some stage, he thought today’s yellow card was unwarranted.

The Newcastle boss said: “It was probably inevitable it would come, although we’re desperately disappointed that it was today, given the two games we've got before the international break, that's going to be a long absence for him.

“I thought it was a harsh booking for him and he plays on the edge, he's a fierce competitor, I thought he played very well again today. We're certainly going to miss him.”

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At least Newcastle have options as Howe looks to shuffle his pack for the Wolves game, with Alexander Isak, Allan Saint-Maximin and Jacob Murphy all having made a positive impression after coming off the bench in the second half of today’s defeat at the Etihad.

Howe said: “We had a good bench today. You just have to look at the quality of the players we had, the squad was near enough at full strength, minus Fabian (Schar). We're going to need that strength with Joe missing.”