The Suspension Tightrope – Gameweek 8

Another week, another Arsenal absentee. It must be pretty crowded in the Emirates stands these days as each match seemingly delivers fresh injury woes but the Gunners walking wounded have had a regular stream of visitors to keep them company. Latest in this line of incarcerated candy stripers was Jack Wilshere, who followed team-mate Calum Chambers in keeping the disciplinary seat warm and ensures the north London outfit will be without another of their first team squad for the upcoming Gameweek.

Already trailing again from a Hull goal early in the second half, Wilshere was booked for two consecutive fouls on Gastón Ramírez in the space of three minutes. His tough-tackling style going a step too far in more ways than one for the second of these fouls, as he injured himself in the process and was duly replaced almost immediately. Wilshere will now sit out the trip to beleaguered Sunderland, with either of the fit again pairing of Mikel Arteta or Aaron Ramsey set to take his place in the midfield double-pivot.

As Wilshere toppled, the tightrope was in need of new tenants, but it never stays empty for long at this stage of the season. Over the course of the weekend’s schedule a couple of candidates were inducted in his place. On Saturday, a caution for West Ham’s Winston Reid was enough to take him to four for the season and his tally was matched the following day by Stoke’s Phil Bardsley. Both will therefore head into the weekend knowing a further indiscretion will see them incur a one-match ban.

Elsewhere, the Chelsea defence is set for a shake-up after ever-present Cesar Azpilicueta received his marching orders in Saturday’s win over London rivals Crystal Palace. The Spaniard’s two-footed lunge on the Eagles’ Mile Jedinak means he is set to miss the next two league matches – away to United and home to QPR – in addition to a Capital One Cup clash with Shrewsbury. New boy Filipe Luis should be afforded the chance to nail down the left-back berth, then, before Azpilicueta becomes available for selection in Gameweek 11, when the league leaders roll up to Anfield.

Palace’s Damien Delaney was also dismissed in the same match. The centre-half collected two yellow cards in the 2-1 home loss and will miss next week’s clash with West Brom – with Scott Dann still injured, Neil Warnock will roll up to the Hawthorns without either of his first-choice centre-halves .

Tottenham’s Federico Fazio is also set to serve a one-match ban. Handed his first league start of the season away to Man City on Saturday lunchtime, the Argentine was sent packing for denying a goal scoring opportunity and will miss the upcoming home clash with Newcastle.

United’s Wayne Rooney remains on the naughty step. The United skipper is set to serve the last of a three-match ban against Chelsea this coming weekend before returning just in time for the Manchester derby away to City in Gameweek 10.

Both Jonjo Shelvey and Calum Chambers return to action, though, having served one-match suspensions. The pair sat out last weekend’s fixtures after earning their fifth yellows of the season in Gameweek 7.

Finally, there are as many as 17 players currently sitting on three yellows, with Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas the most high-profile addition after collecting a caution against Palace. He joins the likes of Diego Costa, Yaya Toure, Graziano Pelle and Alberto Moreno in sitting two bookings away from an automatic ban.