In this regular article, we look at the latest Fantasy Premier League (FPL) disciplinary situation.
The initial focus is on who is nearing a ban for yellow card accumulation but we also round up which FPL assets are already suspended – or returning from a ban – ahead of Gameweek 29.
A reminder: punishments for yellow card accumulation are competition-specific, whereas suspensions for dismissals cover all competitive matches.
WHEN ARE THE CUT-OFF POINTS FOR SUSPENSIONS?
The table above is taken from the Football Association website and details the cut-off points for the various yellow card thresholds.
We have long since passed the cut-off point for five yellow cards, so now the target to avoid is 10 cautions.
THE RACE TO (AVOID) 10 BOOKINGS
There are three players at immediate risk of a two-match suspension, the most notable of whom from a Fantasy perspective is Ivan Toney (£7.9m).
He picked up his ninth booking of the season late on in Brentford’s win over Southampton in Gameweek 27, so is now one caution away from a two-match ban.
Toney has to get through the Bees’ next five games without a yellow card in order to avoid that fate. If he’s booked in his next match against Brighton and Hove Albion, he’ll miss out on Brentford’s second Double Gameweek 29 fixture away at Manchester United (as well as Gameweek 30).
Ruben Neves (£5.4m) and Cheick Doucoure (£5.0m) are also sitting on nine cautions, so face an uphill task to avoid a suspension.
James Maddison (£8.2m) joined the cluster of players on eight bookings in the weekend just gone.
CURRENTLY SUSPENDED OR RETURNING FROM A BAN
Three players were sent off in Gameweek 28.
Shandon Baptiste (£4.5m) will miss out on Brentford’s next fixture after being sent off for two bookable offences, while Matheus Nunes (£4.8m) has to serve a two-game ban after being dismissed for dissent in Wolves’ defeat to Leeds. Also being red carded in that match was Jonny (£4.3m), who faces a three-match suspension for serious foul play.
Casemiro (£4.9m) still has three games of his four-match ban to serve, so won’t be back until Gameweek 31.
Away from the Premier League, two Fulham players were sent off in the Cottagers’ FA Cup defeat to Manchester United.
Willian (£5.5m) will only miss one Premier League match after being dismissed for handball but we likely won’t be seeing Aleksandar Mitrovic (£6.6m) for a while after he was shown the red card for shoving referee Chris Kavanagh at Old Trafford.
Violent conduct carries a three-match ban as a default but because a match official was involved, there’s a very strong chance that further punishment will be meted out. Indeed, Mitrovic has since been charged with “violent and improper conduct” by the Football Association.
Cristiano Ronaldo received a five-game ban after he pushed the referee during a Spanish Super Cup match in 2017, while Paolo Di Canio was given an 11-match suspension for shoving Paul Alcock in 1998.
Joao Palhinha (£4.9m), Joelinton (£5.9m) and Wout Faes (£4.2m) all return from suspension in Gameweek 29.
