Newcastle United are missing one star more than any other - and it's not Bruno Guimaraes
Eddie Howe has had to deal with an array of injury problems this season
No Bruno, no Newcastle United win. That was the fear when the Magpies' captain picked up an ankle injury against PSV Eindhoven last month, and unfortunately it has been proven right again.
United always struggle without their talisman, although in all fairness, the quartet of matches he has missed - Villa at home and PSG, Liverpool and Man City away - wouldn't have been any less challenging with him in the side.
The Brazilian is expected to make a welcome return to the squad for today's Premier League home game against Brentford, and it wouldn't be a huge surprise if that coincided with a return to winning ways.
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However, there is one man United have missed even more than their skipper, at least in terms of results.
Joelinton's groin strain, picked up just after the break in the 2-0 defeat to Aston Villa, couldn't have come at a worse time for United, with Bruno already sidelined.
While Newcastle have sorely missed their captain's creative influence, the sheer physical presence of his international team-mate has been just as glaring on the pitch.
United were wide open at stages at Anfield at the Etihad, and while no one is suggesting it would have changed the result, they struggled to get to grips in midfield without Joelinton.
The stats back it up. Newcastle only won one game this season when Joelinton has not been in the side.
He has had several injury niggles over the course of the campaign, and the Magpies failed to pick up a victory in all but the 2-1 Carabao Cup win over Fulham.
In the Premier League, he sat out the goalless draws at Leeds and Bournemouth early on, the abject 1-0 defeat at Sunderland, the 2-2 draw with Chelsea and then last weekend's 4-1 setback at Liverpool.
Similarly in the Champions League, he was not on the pitch during the 2-1 defeat at Marseille nor the admittedly impressive performance at PSG last month, while he was of course missing at Man City.
It's not going to change soon, with the midfielder likely to miss most of February.
Joelinton is so much more than a physical presence, but Newcastle don't have anyone who can play that role in his absence, and it's something they should look to rectify in the summer transfer window.
For now, Howe and Co will have to hope Bruno's return is enough of a boost to return United to winning ways.
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