The decision to start Joelinton on the left of Newcastle United's front three proved to be another shrewd by Eddie Howe as the Magpies battled to a 0-0 draw with Arsenal this week. Some may say it was an obvious call given the Brazilian's form of late, though a section of the Geordie faithful were hoping to see Joelinton drop back into midfield, subsequently allowing Allan Saint-Maximin to return from the outset at the Emirates.
Joelinton's defensive nous proved vital as the midfield powerhouse gave much-needed additional support to left-back Dan Burn as he struggled to cope with Bukayo Saka in the early stages of the tie. With Saint-Maximin's ability coming at the opposite end of the pitch, it was a wise decision by Howe to stick with a tried and tested system in the capital.
The Frenchman did enter the fray for the dying embers of the London stalemate, only enjoying a mere three touches of the ball between his 87th-minute introduction and the final whistle being blown.
