Why there are (almost) no Premier League games again this weekend

Newcastle United fans will be looking forward to watching their team's new signings in action, but they will have to wait a little while.

Newcastle last played a competitive fixture on Saturday January 22, when Eddie Howe's beat Leeds to earn their second win of the season and first away from home.

By the time Newcastle are next in action, when they welcome Everton to St James' Park on Tuesday February 8, it will be 17 days between competitive games, as the Magpies failed to reach the fourth round of the FA Cup, which takes place on the weekend.

Newcastle's transfer window ins and outs

This weekend will be the second in a row without a full round of Premier League fixtures. There is one Premier League match this weekend, Burnley v Watford, which is allowed to go ahead on Saturday February 5 as it has been twice postponed and neither team made it through to the FA Cup Fourth Round.

The Premier League is on a two-week winter break between January 24 and February 8.

For many teams, it is just a one-week break, as they will be playing FA Cup fixtures this weekend.

But Newcastle were dumped out of the Cup by Cambridge United in early January, so they are among the teams with another weekend off from Friday February 4 to Monday February 7.

The break gave clubs the chance to rest players or - like Newcastle - head off on warm weather training camps.

The dates were also chosen to complement international fixtures that require players to leave their clubs and travel around the world.

Many Premier League players have been involved in international matches over the break, including Newcastle's Miguel Almiron and new signings Bruno Guimarães and Chris Wood. The African Cup of Nations and World Cup Qualifier fixtures in North