The Suspension Tightrope – Gameweek 31

There were two newcomers to the Suspension Tightrope after last weekend’s Premier League action, with London-based pair Joey Barton and Winston Reid picking up their ninth yellows of the campaign. Sebastian Larsson toppled off the edge, having received his tenth yellow for pulling at the shirt of Newcastle striker Emmanuel Riviere in the Wear-Tyne derby – the Swedish midfielder now sits out the Black Cats’ home tie against Crystal Palace in Gameweek 32 and their visit to Stoke City in Gameweek 34 after the Wearsiders’ blank.

Nemanja Matic, Cesc Fabregas, Ciaran Clark, Phil Bardsley, Victor Wanyama and Neil Taylor remain just one ill-judged challenge shy of a two-match suspension, with the yellow card limit set to increase to 15 after the April 12 cut-off date.

Jack Colback accrued his 11^th yellow this term (all awarded in league ties) at the Stadium of Light and could join a select few players who have tallied 11 or more in the last five seasons. Unsurprisingly, Lee Cattermole is one of the two that’s achieved the feat, earning 13 (ten in the league) in 2011/12. The other is Cheick Tiote, who surpassed the mark in 2010/11 with 14 league bookings, making him the only player to chalk up over 11 league yellows in a single season over the last five years. Should Colback manage to pick up a further four yellows in the Magpies’ final seven clashes, he’ll receive a three-match ban that would carry over to next season. Alan Hutton (eight in the league), Gareth Barry (nine league) and the aforementioned Cattermole (ten league) comprise the chasing pack on ten cautions apiece.

Moving on to the newly-suspended players, West Bromwich Albion enforcer Youssuf Mulumbu was handed a red card for elbowing Queens Park Rangers midfielder Joey Barton – the DR Congo international misses the Baggies next three matches (LEI, cry, LIV) and will return in Gameweek 35 in time for a trip to Old Trafford. Meanwhile, Hull City midfielder David Meyler received a straight red for a lunging tackle on Swansea City’s Kyle Naughton three minutes into their encounter at the Liberty Stadium – the Ireland international sits out the Tigers’ upcoming trio of fixtures (sou, LIV, cry) and will be back in contention when they entertain Arsenal in Gameweek 35.

Toon skipper Fabricio Coloccini serves out the last match of his ban in Gameweek 32 and will be available for the Tynesiders’ home clash against Tottenham the following weekend. Mile Jedinak, Tom Huddlestone and Craig Dawson return to their teams in the next wave of fixtures to face Sunderland, Southampton and Leicester City, respectively.

Steven Gerrard and Martin Skrtel serve the second of their respective three-match bans in tomorrow night’s cup replay at Blackburn. The duo will also miss next Monday’s home clash against Newcastle and will return to action the following weekend – depending on the outcome of their Ewood Park encounter, that fixture will either be an FA Cup Semi-Final against Aston Villa or a Gameweek 33 trip to Hull.

Papiss Cisse and Jonny Evans remain stuck in the stands after their spitting altercation in Gameweek 28.