Manchester United v Newcastle United - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - February 26, 2023. Newcastle United's Bruno Guimaraes reacts after sustaining an injury.
Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes will be ‘fine’ for the Premier League game vs Manchester City this afternoon, according to Eddie Howe.
The Lowdown: Injury concerns
The Magpies suffered a 2-0 defeat to Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final last weekend where the result wasn’t the only negative to occur from that day.
The Brazilian was forced off the pitch on 79 minutes with an ankle injury after being consulted by medics, causing concern among supporters that it may have been something serious.
However, the boss has now firmly put minds at ease in a welcomed update…
The Latest: Guimaraes fitness update
Speaking during his Friday pre-match press conference, Howe confirmed that Guimaraes will be available for selection to face Pep Guardiola’s side.
As quoted by the club’s official website, he said:
“Bruno is fine. I think he was in a bit of short-term pain but nothing that has impacted his training week.
“Off the top of my head, there are no other injuries.”
The Verdict: Boost for Howe
Guimaraes has been Newcastle’s overall second top-performing player this season so it’ll be a huge boost for Howe to have him at his disposal vs Man City.
The St. James’ Park talisman currently averages 2.2 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per top-flight game, as per WhoScored, but can also have an offensive impact in the final third.
The Rio de Janeiro native has posted seven goal contributions in 25 appearances across all competitions this term and ranks in the 95th percentile for most successful take-ons.
Finally, Guimaraes has been dubbed a ‘leader’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig and him being back out on the pitch will only increase his team’s chances of picking up a result.
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