Bruno Guimaraes joined his family in the stands on Sunday, but Newcastle United again felt the full impact of his absence on the pitch as they suffered a 2-0 home defeat to Aston Villa.
Instead of marshalling the midfield at St James’ Park, the Newcastle captain watched alongside wife Ana and their two young sons as Emiliano Buendia and Ollie Watkins struck either side of 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 looping header clawed away, but Eddie Howe’s side were ultimately punished for missed opportunities as they failed to score for the third domestic game in a row.
The result not only ended the Magpies’ long home dominance over Villa, but also extended a worrying pattern that has followed Newcastle whenever Guimaraes is missing from the line-up.
Villa’s victory saw them end the weekend just four points behind Premier League leaders Arsenal, who delivered their worst defensive performance for 122 games in a 3-2 home defeat by Manchester United later on Sunday.
Bruno Guimaraes posts photo of his wife and kids after watching Newcastle from the stands
Shortly after full-time, Guimaraes shared a selfie from the stands showing himself, wife Ana and their two children wrapped in blankets as they watched the match together.
Alongside the image, the Brazilian admitted how difficult it was to be sidelined.
“Tough not being on the pitch with my team-mates. Not the result we wanted, but we keep moving forward. Hopefully I’ll be back doing what I love very soon,” he wrote, adding black and white heart emojis.
Guimaraes also posted a second message in Portuguese aimed at 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 awful record when Bruno Guimaraes does not 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 has been absent.
From a possible 27 points, Newcastle have collected just five, drawing five times and losing four, underlining how heavily the team depends on their captain.
Howe acknowledged that reliance after Sunday’s defeat.
“You lose a lot when a player like that isn’t available,” said Howe. “But we can’t rely on one player. We do have to find a way of winning without him.”
Newcastle’s last nine Premier League results without Bruno Guimaraes
| Date | Opponent | Venue | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2022 | Wolves | Away | D 1-1 |
| Aug 2022 | Liverpool | Away | L 2-1 |
| Sep 2022 | Crystal Palace | Home | D 0-0 |
| Feb 2023 | West Ham | Home | D 1-1 |
| Feb 2023 | Bournemouth | Away | D 1-1 |
| Feb 2023 | Liverpool | Home | L 2-0 |
| Nov 2023 | Bournemouth | Away | L 2-0 |
| Sep 2025 | Bournemouth | Away | D 0-0 |
| Jan 2026 | Aston Villa | Home | L 2-0 |
Why are Newcastle so bad without Bruno Guimaraes?
Guimaraes is the heartbeat of Newcastle’s midfield, setting the tempo, progressing the ball and providing leadership when matches are finely balanced.
This season, he leads the club in total league goals, tackles won and chances created, underlining his influence across every phase of play.
At home, his impact has been even more pronounced, 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’s progressive passing and authority in midfield.
“I just thought we missed Bruno’s forward thinking,” he explained. “He always wants to 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 defence, with Yoane Wissa and Nick Woltemade managing just one shot between them.
Why did Bruno Guimaraes miss the Aston Villa game?
Guimaraes was ruled out after suffering an ankle injury during Newcastle’s 3-0 Champions League win over PSV Eindhoven in midweek.
The midfielder hobbled 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 risks.
With major fixtures coming thick and fast, Newcastle prioritised recovery over short-term availability.
When will Bruno Guimaraes be back on the pitch?
Guimaraes is now racing to be fit for Newcastle’s decisive Champions League clash away to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday night.
Victory in that match would likely secure automatic qualification for the last 16, meaning his potential return would provide a major boost for Howe’s side.
While Guimaraes said he hoped to be back on the pitch “very soon” on Instagram, he did not reference the PSG game directly.
Newcastle’s next Premier League match is away at Liverpool next Saturday.
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