Bruno Guimaraes reminder as impact of Jonjo Shelvey injury is felt at Newcastle United

Jonjo Shelvey’s injury is a ‘big blow’ to Newcastle United and one that may impact the form of Bruno Guimaraes. Shelvey is set to miss the first few months of the campaign after picking up an injury during the pre-season.

Brazilan Guimaraes has filled into the role usually operated by Shelvey - playing a deep-lying midfielder against Nottingham Forest and Brighton. It was the latter of those games in which Guimaraes was particularly off-colour, and it’s feared that Shelvey’s absence could in the long run disrupt Guimaraes’ excellent start to life on Tyneside.

Speaking on The Everything is Black and White Podcast, Newcastle United Editor Aaron Stokes was asked whether he was ‘shocked’ by Guimaraes’ performance against Brighton. He said: “I don't know if shocked is the right word. I think we forget that he’s human and we've been blessed really the last three to four months that he hasn't really put a foot wrong.

“We're sat here every week and I will say 'I'm sick of praising him' and well, I'm actually sort of glad that, you know, we've had a reminder that sometimes [he's not perfect]. I thought Brighton set up perfectly on Saturday. They didn't give Newcastle an inch and they didn't give Bruno an inch in that midfield and he looked isolated.

“Shelvey was a miss. Shelvey does that role where he sits and sweeps really well and I think Bruno is better when he's probably used a bit further forward in that eight role, which we didn't really see on Saturday.”

Such was the performance of Guimaraes that there is now debate as to whether someone else - such as Sean Longstaff - could cover Shelvey to a higher standard and allow Guimaraes to go back into the forward role from which he has impressed since joining Lyon.

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