The Suspension Tightrope – Gameweek 8

Gameweek 8 saw two more players topple off the Suspension Tightrope as we head into the second international break of the season. Sunderland centre-back Sebastian Coates was the first guilty party after earning his fifth yellow of 2015/16 in the second half of yesterday’s home draw against West Ham.

Coates will now miss the Black Cats’ trip to West Brom next time out as the Wearsiders prepare for life without Dick Advocaat after the Dutchman resigned earlier today.

This afternoon, Coates was joined by Tottenham’s Eric Dier, who has now been booked in five of the first eight league matches in his new central midfield role. The 10%-owned defender, who had been drafted in by over 25,000 Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers prior to today’s caution, will now miss the Gameweek 9 home encounter with Liverpool.

Despite losing those two to suspension, the Tightrope now boasts ten faces – three more than last weekend.

Ciaran Clark, Jeffrey Schlupp, Jack Colback, Billy Jones and Dele Alli all remain on four yellows and are joined by five new entries this time round. City pair Eliaquim Mangala and Fernandinho incurred the referee’s wrath in yesterday’s 6-1 romp over Newcastle at the Etihad, whilst West Ham’s Mark Noble is another fresh recruit after collecting a yellow card in the 2-2 stalemate at Sunderland.

Oriol Romeu is also added to the mix. The midfielder picked up his fourth caution in as many league starts for Southampton against former club Chelsea yesterday – he’s managed that feat in just 371 minutes of top-flight action. Earlier today, United full-back Matteo Darmian found his way into the referee’s notebook in the 3-0 loss to Arsenal.

The weekend brought further woe for the Black Cats, with Jeremain Lens set to miss the Gameweek 9 trip to the Hawthorns. The Dutchman – whose goal in yesterday’s draw means he played a part in five of the Wearsiders’ eight goals under Advocaat – was dismissed after receiving cautions for fouls on Carl Jenkinson and Winston Reid either side of the half-time break against the Hammers.

In terms of newly available players, Chelsea’s Diego Costa, Watford’s Valon Behrami and Everton wide man Kevin Mirallas are all in the frame in Gameweek 9 after they served the last of three-match bans for violent conduct this weekend.