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All football clubs have a small section of fans who perceive there to be some sort of conspiracy against their club.

But Newcastle United supporters arguably have a valid reason to believe their theories have at least a modicum of truth behind them.

As of Monday, it is exactly 60 months - or, more precisely, five years - since an opposition player was dismissed against the Magpies in the Premier League.

It is 152 Premier League games - and a staggering 1,826 days - since an opponent was sent off against United.

Not since Bradley Johnson was given his marching orders in the 82nd minute on January 28, 2014 - alongside Newcastle’s Loic Remy, it must be noted - after an off-the-ball incident during United’s stalemate with Norwich City at Carrow Road, has an opponent seen red against the Magpies in any competitive top-flight fixture.

More importantly, however, it is 157 top-flight games - and 1,859 days - since Newcastle played with a numerical advantage against a side due to an opposition player being sent off.

(Image: Getty Images)

On December 26, 2013, both Stoke City’s Glenn Whelan and Marc Wilson were shown red cards before half-time, but since then the Magpies have not held a numerical advantage in any top-flight match.

This means Newcastle went through the entire 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2017/18 top-flight seasons - as well as through almost two-thirds of this campaign - without an opposition player being shown a red card in the league. If you include the latter half of 2013/14, it is the equivalent of four seasons’ worth of matches since United held a numerical advantage in a top-flight match due to an opposing player being sent off.

This season, Newcastle have had Isaac Hayden and DeAndre Yedlin dismissed, while last term, Jonjo Shelvey was sent off twice as United receive two red cards in 2017/18.

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In fact, 18 players in total have seen red in the Premier League for Newcastle since Johnson was giving his marching orders for Norwich precisely half-a-decade ago.

Last season, Brighton and Hove Albion’s Tomer Hemed and Huddersfield Town’s Elias Kachunga are just two examples of when players could - and probably should - have been sent off against Newcastle. While this term, Rafa Benitez was adamant Willy Boly should have seen red for an elbow on Ayoze Perez in the same match in which Yedlin was given his marching orders.

This term, meanwhile, there have been further incidents in United games when opposition players could have been sent off; Harry Arter should have been dismissed at the Cardiff City Stadium in August, and so too should Moussa Sissoko have seen red on his return to St James’ Park in the opening game of the season after the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder appeared to stamp on Kenedy off the ball.

And, if you go through every single one of the 152 games since the last dismissal, more examples will appear too. Yes, further scenarios when United players could have been sent off will also arise, but 18 Magpies have been able to take early baths during the time no opposition player has.

And, the longer the five-year statistic of no opposition player being given their marching orders against Newcastle extends, the greater the ammunition for the conspiracy theorists to use...

The red cards Newcastle United have received since the last time a Premier League player was dismissed against them: