The Suspension Tightrope – Gameweek 11

The Suspension Tightrope claimed a new victim this week as United’s Matteo Darmian earned his fifth yellow card of the campaign in yesterday’s goalless draw at Selhurst Park. Owned by 18% of Fantasy Premier League (FPL) managers, the Italian now misses the home clash against West Brom and with Antonio Valencia still injured, Louis van Gaal has decisions to make at right back.

The Tightrope welcomed four new faces over the weekend, with 14 players now standing just one caution away from a single-match ban. Palace playmaker Yohan Cabaye, Swansea skipper Ashley Williams, Watford’s raiding right-back Allan Nyom and Liverpool midfielder Lucas are the latest recruits. The latter was perhaps a little fortunate not to earn a second yellow in the 3-1 win at Stamford Bridge after a foul on Ramires resulted in no more than a warning and proved a major post-match talking point.

Whilst Jose Mourinho was reluctant to comment for fear of FA disciplinary measures, Lucas, unsurprisingly, commended whistler Marc Clattenburg’s decision not to send him packing:

”They [Chelsea] will probably talk about it, it’s normal especially when you lose a game. The first three fouls in the first 10 minutes of the game probably were just fouls that maybe wouldn’t be a yellow card. Sometimes in my position you make fouls but more to stop the game and I think it was a good decision from the referee. He controlled the game very well, all the situations with the Chelsea players I think he dealt with it really well and I think it was a fair game.”

In terms of other new suspensions, Norwich will be without skipper Russell Martin for the Gameweek 12 home encounter against Swansea. The versatile defender was dismissed at City for denying a goal scoring opportunity – his handball in the box handed the hosts their first penalty.

Southampton will be devoid of Victor Wanyama’s services for next weekend’s trip to Sunderland. The Kenyan international avoided climbing onto the Tightrope after he was dismissed for collecting two bookings in this afternoon’s home win over Bournemouth – instead, he remains on three yellows and has been handed a one-match ban, thus returning in time for the Gameweek 13 clash against Stoke.

West Ham’s James Collins is set for a three-match ban after being dismissed for violent conduct during yesterday’s surprise loss to Watford as Slaven Bilic’s side lost for the first time on their travels this term.

After qualifying for the Europa League due to their fair play record, the Hammers have now received four red cards in the first 11 Gameweeks under their new manager, with Mark Noble (rescinded), Carl Jenkinson and Adrian the other parties concerned.

Bizarrely, this was the eighth red in just 11 Premier League matches involving West Ham. There has now been a sending off in each of their last four league outings, with Sunderland’s Jeremain Lens, Palace’s Dwight Gayle and Chelsea’s Nemanja Matic all seeing red in the three fixtures prior to yesterday’s trip to Vicarage Road. Taking all competitions into account, there has been 12 red cards flashed over West Ham’s 18 fixtures with Bilic at the helm – the London club have been culpable on seven of those occasions.

Finally, reports this evening suggest Diego Costa could be set to escape retrospective action following another spat with nemesis Martin Skrtel. The Chelsea striker appeared to dig a boot into the Slovakian’s chest after both fell to the ground during the Reds’ 3-1 win but it’s believed that referee Clattenburg saw the incident and decided to take no further action.

Given that Costa has already served a three-match ban this season, this will be a huge relief for the under-fire Jose Mourinho if confirmed. Taking his previous ban into account, another stint on the sidelines for violent conduct would have earned Costa a four-match suspension this time around and forced him out of the upcoming league matches against Stoke, Norwich, Spurs and Bournemouth.