In this semi-regular ‘Suspension Tightrope’ article, we look at the latest Fantasy Premier League (FPL) disciplinary situation.
As previously mentioned, the good news is that every Premier League club has now contested 19 top-flight fixtures.
This means that no FPL asset can now pick up a one-match ban for yellow card accumulation.
Attention now switches to those players who are hurtling towards 10 bookings in 2023/24.
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 totals.
Premier League players now have to avoid picking up 10 yellow cards before their team has contested 32 top-flight fixtures.
If that fate does befall them, they’ll be hit by a two-match ban.
THE RACE TO (AVOID) 10 BOOKINGS
There is only one player who is at imminent risk of a two-match suspension: Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes (£5.8m).
He picked up his ninth caution of 2023/24 in the defeat to Manchester City a week or so ago.
At 2% owned, a looming ban isn’t going to cause ripples of trepidation in the Fantasy community.
Nicolas Jackson (£6.9m), currently away at the Africa Cup of Nations, and the most booked player of 2022/23, Joao Palhinha (£5.0m), are sat on eight yellow cards.
We have to go back to the handful of assets who are on seven bookings for any names of note, with Anthony Gordon (£6.1m) and Bruno Fernandes (£8.2m) among the players in this group.
WHO IS CURRENTLY SUSPENDED – AND WHO WILL RETURN FROM A BAN IN GAMEWEEK 22?
Marcos Senesi (£4.5m), Jacob Brown (£4.9m) and Saman Ghoddos (£4.5m) are technically available after serving one-match bans in Gameweek 21, although Ghoddos is away at the Asian Cup.
Wolves’ Joao Gomes (£4.9m) should also be available in Gameweek 22, as the third match of his three-game ban will be served in the FA Cup this weekend.
As for those red-flagged because of suspension, Vladimir Coufal (£4.7m) and Rhian Brewster (£4.9m) were both dismissed in West Ham United’s draw with Sheffield United on Sunday.
Coufal will return in Gameweek 23, Brewster in Gameweek 24.
The Hammers’ Said Benrahma (£5.6m), sent off in the FA Cup loss at Bristol City, also won’t be back until Gameweek 24.
Sandro Tonali (£5.2m) remains banned until August.
