Paul Mitchell will be straight on the blower to Crystal Palace tonight after that match

We have to commend Fabian Schar's commitment to seeing Newcastle United succeed - getting sent off so that it forces the club's hand to pay what Crystal Palace want for Marc Guehi.

The Marc Guehi saga was set to tootle on, likely until the end of the transfer window, but after Fabian Schar picked up a straight red card in the game against Southampton, Eddie Howe immediately finds himself another centre-back down.

With Jamaal Lascelles and Sven Botman out injured, and the Guehi deal rolling through treacle, losing a defender was the last thing we needed on week one.

Thankfully there is still time left in the transfer window, but unless the Premier League sees sense and overturns Schar's red card, then Newcastle need to act fast.

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Schar's suspension has accelerated Newacstle's need to buy a defender

Whether it is Marc Guehi or someone else, Newcastle could really do with getting their new centre-back through the door before they head to Bournemouth next Sunday.

Paul Mitchell will, at this point, know exactly what it will take to get Marc Guehi through the door and his hand may now have been forced.

Steve Parish was probably watching our game and popped the top off a bottle of Bollinger when Schar got his marching orders - he'll be expecting Mitchell's call.

Let's hope Guehi comes away unscathed tomorrow

We could be looking at two left-sided centre-backs in the starting eleven next week, or two right-backs playing side-by-side as either Lloyd Kelly or Emil Krafth will have to replace Fabian Schar.

It's not the end of the world, of course, I mean, as long as we have 11 players on the pitch we're already better off than we were for most of today's game.

Still, we're expecting things to step up a level for Marc Guehi now - as long as he doesn't get injured/sent off for Palace tomorrow.