"This was a very different matchday experience for Bruno Guimaraes. Instead of being involved in the thick of it on the field, the injured Newcastle United captain could only watch on helplessly from the stands alongside his family at St James' Park on Sunday. It's not something he will necessarily want to relive anytime soon after his side fell to a 2-0 defeat against Aston Villa."
"There was a reason the coaching staff were prepared to give the Brazilian every chance to prove his fitness after he hobbled off with an ankle injury in the win against PSV Eindhoven in midweek. Remarkably, since his Premier League debut nearly four years ago, Newcastle have not won any of the nine league games Guimaraes has missed. From the 27 points on offer, Newcastle have claimed just five without their talisman."
"That wait goes on, but a defeat should not exactly have been a foregone conclusion - even if Aston Villa are flying in third place. Newcastle were fresh from defeating PSV Eindhoven 3-0 in the Champions League in midweek. They had not been beaten at home in the Premier League since the end of September, scoring at least two goals in each of their previous eight top-flight games at St James'."
Bruno Guimaraes missed Newcastle's match against Aston Villa due to injury and watched from the stands as his side lost 2-0 at St James' Park. Coaching staff had given him every opportunity to prove fitness after an ankle issue sustained against PSV Eindhoven. Since his Premier League debut nearly four years ago, Newcastle have failed to win any of the nine league games he has missed, collecting only five of 27 possible points without him. Eddie Howe acknowledged the team's dependence on Guimaraes while urging a need to find ways to win without a single talisman. Newcastle had been strong at home and created notable chances during the game.
Read at www.bbc.com
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