Man City lead Premier League title race as Liverpool move to second
Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal all have key players facing the risk of a ban ahead of their next Premier League fixtures. Several stars currently sit on four bookings for the 2023-24 campaign, with another yellow card meaning an automatic one-match ban.
Players who have been booked four times this season will walk on a tightrope over the next few weeks. They still have seven matches until a fifth booking no longer results in a ban. After each club’s 19th Premier League game, players will only face a ban if they are booked 10 times before matchweek 32.
United captain Bruno Fernandes is one of those stars. The Portuguese midfielder plays on the edge of the rulebook but will need to be careful over the next few weeks, with Erik ten Hag relying on his key man to remain available.
If Fernandes is booked during Sunday’s clash with Everton, he will miss a big game against Newcastle a week later. Alternatively, a booking against the Magpies would mean he misses the visit of Chelsea on December 6.
READ MORE: Everton told 10-point Premier League deduction for breaking rules is fair[LATEST]
Chelsea have their own player at risk of a suspension. Marc Cucurella has forced himself into Mauricio Pochettino’s plans of late, but will miss the Blues’ clash with former club Brighton if he is yellow-carded against Newcastle on Saturday.
Like Fernandes, Cucurella could also miss Chelsea’s trip to United in a fortnight if he is booked against Brighton. That would leave Pochettino without one of his most trusted defenders for an important game.
Kai Havertz’s frustrating start to life at Arsenal could grow worse if he is booked this weekend. The German will miss the visit of Wolves on December 2 if he is booked at Brentford on Saturday.
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Elsewhere, Manchester City duo Rodri and Jack Grealish are both in danger of being unavailable to Pep Guardiola. Both have already received five cautions in City’s 12 matches this term.
City face Liverpool on Saturday afternoon and bookings in that match could see Rodri or Grealish miss the visit of Tottenham a week later. Rodri has already faced a three-match ban this season after being sent off against Nottingham Forest in September. City subsequently lost all three matches he missed.
All Premier League players on four yellow cards: Bruno Fernandes (Man Utd), Rayan Ait-Nouri, Joao Gomes, Mario Lemina (all Wolves), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace), Jarrad Branthwaite (Everton), Marc Cucurella (Chelsea), Lucas Digne, Boubacar Kamara, Douglas Luiz (all Aston Villa), Jack Grealish, Rodri (both Man City), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Issa Kabore, Marvelous Nakamba (both Luton), Orel Mangala, Ibrahim Sangare (both Nottingham Forest), Christian Norgaard (Brentford) and Antonee Robinson (Fulham).
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