Ryder claims Joelinton was lucky not to see red

According to journalist Lee Ryder, Newcastle United ace Joelinton had a lucky escape from a possible red card during their game this weekend after catching Marcus Tavernier with a ‘stray boot’.

The Magpies did themselves no favours this weekend as they failed to pick up a much-needed win and have now made it five draws in their first seven games as they sit 10th in the Premier League table.

While the 1-1 draw with Bournemouth may not give fans much joy, it could have been far worse if not for a missed VAR call. Ryder pointed out in his notes on the game for the Chronicle Live that star man Joelinton was lucky not to be sent off after he caught Tavernier with his boot after winning a foul himself.

Ryder wrote, “When Joelinton went down in the first half and won a free-kick nobody thought much of it at first. But replays on TV showed that the Brazilian had caught Marcus Tavernier with a stray boot.

“Thankfully for Newcastle it wasn’t picked up by VAR but if it had he would have been heading for an early bath. Perhaps given the amount of rotten officiating previously this was part of the levelling up process we are told occurs over a season.

“But Joelinton will admit he was a lucky lad against the Cherries.”

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TIF Thoughts on Ryder’s comments…

There is no doubt failing to pick up all three points against Bournemouth will be very frustrating for the team and the fans, but when looking at the possibility that Joelinton could have seen red early on, it is not such a bad result.

The Brazilian has been a hugely influential player since he made the move from striker to midfielder under Eddie Howe. He can go forward as shown by ranking in the 91st percentile for touches in the attacking penalty area, but also be a defensive figure for the club as he ranks in the 96th percentile for aerial duels and the 88th for blocks.

The 26-year-old was incredibly lucky not to be sent off and cause his team even more problems. Catching a player with your boot can easily lead to a red card, which puts your team in a difficult position. They might not have won the game, but it could have been far worse.