📊 This stat proves how important Joelinton is to Newcastle | OneFootball

Goals have been hard to come by for Joelinton this season.

The Brazilian forward joined Newcastle in the summer in a deal which saw the Magpies pay €40m to Hoffenheim.

The 23-year-old was supposed to be the man to fire Steve Bruce’s side into European contention this term but it hasn’t quite worked out like that.

Joelinton has netted just two goals in his first six months, with one of those coming last week in their FA Cup third round replay at home to League One Rochdale.

But one statistic released on Wednesday has proved just how vital the giant South American is to this Newcastle side.

Of every single player in the Premier League, Joelinton has won the second-most aerial duals with 129.

More than Virgil van Dijk. More than Harry Maguire. More than Johnny Evans.

Amazing, really.

Top five Premier League players (aerial duals won): Sebastian Haller (West Ham United), 159; Joelinton (Newcastle United), 127; James Tarkowski (Leicester City), 115; Ollie McBurnie (Sheffield United), 109; Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool), 107.