The Suspension Tightrope – Gameweek 19

Three more players succumbed to the lure of the Suspension Tightrope after earning their fifth cautions of the campaign during the Gameweek 19 fixtures. West Ham defender James Tomkins will miss the New Year’s Day home clash with West Brom, Man City midfielder Fernando can also put his feet up on Thursday when the champions entertain Sunderland, whilst Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel also gets the day off as Leicester pay visit to Anfield.

This means that 34 players ultimately fell foul of the five-card Tightrope, which is now extended to 10 yellows on January 1. Those players previously on four cautions– including the likes of Yaya Toure and Robin van Persie – can now breathe a little easier, having successfully avoided a one-match ban. The 10-yellow Tightrope will now run until April 12 (inclusive), which currently takes in all of Gameweek 32.

Unfortunately for Sunderland’s Lee Cattermole, he’s already just one booking away from toppling off after collecting his ninth caution during the goalless draw at Villa. West Ham’s Winston Reid is just two away on eight cautions, followed by Diego Costa and Neil Taylor on seven apiece, with Chelsea midfield pair Cesc Fabregas and Nemanja Matic joined by Southampton’s Graziano Pelle on six bookings.

A further four players joined the banned list at the weekend after receiving their marching orders. Morgan Schneiderlin is set to miss Southampton’s home match against Arsenal after earning a pair of yellows during the 1-1 draw with Chelsea and Hull’s Stephen Quinn sits out the KC encounter with Everton after being dismissed for denying a goalscoring opportunity in the weekend loss to Leicester.

The Foxes’ Paul Konchesky was also sent off in that 1-0 win and is unavailable for the New Year’s Day trip to Liverpool, whilst Fabian Delph is suspended for three matches after being dismissed for serious foul play in Aston Villa’s home draw with Sunderland. The midfielder will sit out the next two Gameweeks and also miss the FA Cup Third Round clash with Blackpool before returning to contention at home to Liverpool on January 17 – in the last couple of hours, the FA rejected Villa’s appeal over his weekend departure.

Earlier today, Papiss Cisse accepted a violent conduct charge for his elbow challenge on Seamus Coleman last Sunday. The Newcastle striker is banned for three matches with immediate effect but, bearing in mind he’s set to depart for the African Cup of Nations, could be sidelined until the start of February, depending on Senegal’s progress in the tournament.

Those eight players join previous incumbents Olivier Giroud and Tom Huddlestone on the festive naughty step. Giroud serves the second of a three-match suspension away to Southampton on Thursday before completing his ban in the FA Cup Third Round clash with Hull, meaning he will be available for Gameweek 21. The Tigers’ Tom Huddlestone will sit out the last of a four-match ban at home to Everton.

Jonjo Shelvey has since been charged for violent conduct for an altercation with Emre Can during Swansea’s loss to Liverpool last night, though Raheem Sterling seems likely to escape retrospective action for an incident in the same fixture, as it appears the match officials witnessed his set-to with Federico Fernandez.