The Suspension Tightrope claimed no new victims over the last couple of days, but there are now 13 players finely balanced at the four-yellow mark with just one match remaining in Gameweek 9.
Prior to the weekend’s action getting underway, there were ten men on the verge of a one-match suspension: Ciaran Clark, Jeffrey Schlupp, Fernandinho, Eliaquim Mangala, Matteo Darmian, Jack Colback, Oriol Romeu, Billy Jones, Dele Alli and Mark Noble were all precariously perched.
James Milner joined that cast with a late challenge on Danny Rose and rode his luck for the remainder of Liverpool’s encounter against Spurs, escaping without a red despite making a number of clumsy tackles. Meanwhile, Erik Lamela proved similarly tenacious for the home team and subsequently received his fourth caution of the campaign, placing him at risk of missing the North London derby in Gameweek 12. Spurs and Man City are the only two teams with one than one player on this week’s Tightrope, with both sides affording us two apiece.
Finally, Claudio Yacob – a midfield lynchpin for a West Bromwich Albion outfit that ranks joint-top for clean sheets (five) this term – entered the referee’s notebook for the third time in four outings, earning him caution number four for the campaign.
In terms of new suspensions, Dwight Gayle received his marching orders for two soft yellows during Crystal Palace’s 3-1 home defeat to West Ham United yesterday. The Eagles frontman was dismissed with the score level at one apiece late in the first-half and, post-match, manager Alan Pardew reckoned the decision was a little unjust:
“Our striker gets booked for a bad challenge, quite rightly. The second challenge, the referee knows he’s booked, he’s missed it by a centimetre probably and he sends him off. I thought a man of his experience perhaps should have looked at that situation and given him his final warning. I’m not excusing him from complete blame. The second challenge, he shouldn’t make. He’ll have to learn from that. Having said that, I still think it was very harsh to send him off.”
The 5.1-priced Gayle – who has started the last three outings up top – now sits out the Eagles’ trip to Leicester City next Gameweek, with Pardew likely to turn to Fraizer Campbell or Patrick Bamford if Connor Wickham fails to recover from injury in time. Given that he’s failed to net in five league appearances, Gayle may find it difficult to make an immediate return to the first XI in Gameweek 11.
Turning our attention towards players that have served their time, Eric Dier and Sebastian Coates – who toppled off the Tightrope last Gameweek – are available for selection next time out. The former will be hoping to reclaim his starting role in central midfield for the trip to Bournemouth, though Mousa Dembele staked a claim for another start with a man-of-the-match performance against Liverpool yesterday. Coates, meanwhile, will have to impress new manager Sam Allardyce to displace either Younes Kaboul or John O’Shea in central defence.
Jeremain Lens also makes a welcome return for the Black Cats, having fulfilled his duties and sat out their 1-0 loss at The Hawthorns. The Dutch midfielder – who has played a part in five of Sunderland’s eight league goals this season – could have a key part to play in the Wear-Tyne derby next Sunday as Big Sam welcomes his former club to the Stadium of Light.
