The Suspension Tightrope – Gameweek 14

A 2-0 win over QPR handed Swansea a sixth clean sheet of the season but Tuesday evening’s triumph came at a cost for Garry Monk’s side as ever-present Neil Taylor toppled off the Suspension Tightrope. After earning his fifth caution of the campaign, the left-back is one of four players who are set to serve a one-match ban this weekend as he sits on the sidelines for the Welsh club’s trip to West Ham.

Chelsea are once again deprived of a first-team regular due to suspension ahead of Saturday lunchtime’s trip to Newcastle. This time round Jose Mourinho needs to make do without Nemanja Matic after the midfield enforcer earned a fifth yellow in last night’s home win over Tottenham.

Andi Weimann and Wes Morgan will both miss Villa’s home clash against Leicester. The former earned his fifth yellow in midweek, while the latter received his marching orders against Liverpool. Morgan’s absence offering Liam Moore the chances of a rare start for the visitors but, up against Christian Benteke, he may well struggle to bring in the points as Nigel Pearson’s side attempt to improve upon a run of one clean sheet in ten Gameweeks.

Taking stock of the Tightrope after the midweek matches, we now have 22 players sitting just one caution away from a ban. Essentially, one more yellow card in the next five Gameweeks (until the extension kicks in on January 1) for any of them will trigger an automatic one-match suspension. From a Fantasy perspective, Chelsea playmaker Cesc Fabregas (sitting in 51% of sides) is the most high profile, though owners of the likes of Graziano Pelle, Vincent Kompany, Morgan Schneiderlin, Daryl Janmaat and Ryan Shawcross also have cause for concern.

Stoke, Southampton and Hull are most affected here – each of those sides have a trio of players teetering on the Tightrope as we head towards Gameweek 15.

As Fantasy managers are more than aware, Diego Costa is back for Chelsea after sitting out last night’s clash against Spurs. There’s no doubt his disciplinary record on the road is a worry, though – having been booked in all five away appearances, he’ll need to curb his enthusiasm for fear of facing another suspension later in the season.

Newcastle welcome back a couple of midfielders for the visit of Jose Mourinho’s side, with Jack Colback and Moussa Sissoko looking set to return to first-team duties. City’s defensive worries also ease a little as Everton roll up to the Etihad. With Vincent Kompany expected to remain on the sidelines, Eliaquim Mangala is available once again, after sitting out Wednesday’s trip to Sunderland.

Finally, Gaston Ramirez and Claudio Yacob will serve the last of three-match bans this weekend as Hull welcome West Brom to the KC.