Newcastle’s record without Bruno Guimaraes is getting worse as he watches with his wife and children

Bruno Guimaraes joined his family in the stands on Sunday but Newcastle United once again felt the full impact of his absence from the pitch as they suffered a 2-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa.

Instead of manning the midfield at St James’ Park, the Newcastle captain watched with his wife Ana and their two young sons as Emiliano Buendia and Ollie Watkins struck either side of the match at half-time to secure Villa’s first league win on Tyneside in almost 21 years.

Newcastle had chances to change the course of the match, with Sandro Tonali denied early on by Emiliano Martinez and Lewis Miley later seeing a running header cleared, but Eddie Howe’s side were ultimately punished for missed chances as they failed to score for the third home game in a row.

The result not only ended the Magpies’ long domestic dominance over Villa, but also extended a worrying pattern that Newcastle followed whenever Guimaraes was missing from the line-up.

Villa’s victory saw them end the weekend just four points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, who produced their worst defensive performance in 122 games in a 3-2 home defeat to Manchester United later on Sunday.

Bruno Guimaraes posts a photo of his wife and children after watching Newcastle from the stands

Shortly after starting full-time, Guimaraes shared a selfie from the stands, showing himself, his wife Ana and their two children wrapped in blankets as they watched the match together.

In addition to the image, the Brazilian admitted how difficult it was to be offside.

“It’s hard not being on the pitch with my teammates. Not the result we wanted, but we keep moving forward. Hopefully I can get back to doing what I love soon,” he wrote, adding black and white heart emojis.

Guimaraes also posted a second message in Portuguese, addressed to his family, writing: “I love you @analidiamartinss my family.”

The midfielder married Ana Lidia Martins in June 2023 and the couple’s two sons were born in October 2022 and March 2024.

Bruno Guimaraes, wife Ana and their two sons watched from the stands as Newcastle lost 2-0 at home to Aston Villa on Sunday

Newcastle’s terrible record when Bruno Guimaraes doesn’t play

Newcastle’s struggles without Guimaraes are now impossible to ignore.

Since his Premier League debut in 2022, the Magpies have not won a single league match in which he was absent.

Of a possible 27 points, Newcastle have only collected five, drawn five and lost four, underscoring how heavily the team depends on their captain.

Howe acknowledged that confidence after Sunday’s defeat.

“You lose a lot when a player like that isn’t available,” Howe said. “But we can’t rely on one player. We have to find a way to win without him.”

Newcastle’s last nine Premier League results without Bruno Guimaraes

Why are Newcastle so bad without Bruno Guimaraes?

Guimaraes is the heartbeat of Newcastle’s midfield. He sets the pace, advances the ball and provides leadership when the games are well balanced.

This season he leads the club in total league goals scored, tackles won and chances created, underscoring his influence in every phase of play.

At home his impact was even greater, with seven league goals and two assists at St James’ Park, more than any other Newcastle player.

Howe admitted after the Villa defeat that his side lacked Guimaraes’ progressive passing and authority in midfield.

“I thought we were missing Bruno’s progressive thinking,” he explained. “He always wants to make a pass forward and is always looking for a creative pass. You could see we missed that today.”

Without him, Newcastle struggled to unlock Villa’s defense, with Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade managing just one shot.

Why did Bruno Guimaraes miss the Aston Villa match?

Guimaraes was left out after an ankle injury during Newcastle’s 3-0 Champions League win over PSV Eindhoven in midweek.

The midfielder limped off in the first half of that match and although Howe said he would give him “every chance” to prove his fitness, the club ultimately decided not to take any chances.

With big games looming, Newcastle prioritized recovery over short-term availability.

When will Bruno Guimaraes be back on the field?

Guimaraes is now racing to be fit for Newcastle’s decisive Champions League match against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday evening.

A win in that match would likely see automatic qualification for the last 16, meaning his potential return would be a major boost for Howe’s side.

Although Guimaraes said on Instagram that he hoped to be back on the pitch “very soon”, he did not refer directly to the PSG match.

Newcastle’s next Premier League match is away against Liverpool next Saturday.