The Suspension Tightrope

The lull in domestic proceedings affords us time to check in with the latest batch of miscreants on the Suspension Tightrope, with a number of players still very much at risk of a ban.

As highlighted by the FA website, anyone who reaches ten yellows by the second Sunday of April (inclusive) will be subject to a two-match suspension.

With Gameweeks in each of the upcoming two weekends, in addition to a full set of matches next midweek, we essentially still have three lots of league fixtures to navigate.

The only sides that this does not apply to are Crystal Palace and Arsenal, who face off in the final fixture of Gameweek 32, which takes place on Monday April 10 – ie, one day after the cut-off date.

As evidenced by the lengthy list in your sidebar on the right of the site, three players are just one caution shy of reaching the ten-card mark – Joe Allen, Craig Dawson and Mark Noble.

Sitting in 10% of Fantasy Premier League squads, the Potters’ midfielder is the most popular of that trio – he still has to steer past clashes with Leicester City, Burnley and Liverpool to avoid a place on the naughty step.

Dawson has been drafted in by over 11,000 on the back of two goals against Arsenal last time out but must avoid falling foul of the referee’s wrath against Man United, Watford and Southampton.

Noble missed the Gameweek 29 loss to Leicester through injury, though has since returned to training. Nonetheless, with Pedro Obiang ruled out for the season, it remains to be seen whether Slaven Bilic will immediately rush his captain back for encounters with Hull City, Arsenal and Swansea City.

A further 19 players sit on eight yellows.

For those Fantasy managers eyeing up double Gameweek 34, this also includes Palace’s Jason Puncheon, United’s Paul Pogba and Middlesbrough trio Martin de Roon, Adam Clayton and Gaston Ramirez, who all play twice in that round of fixtures.

If any of that quartet were to earn their tenth booking in Gameweek 32, for example, they would trigger a two-match suspension and therefore miss their respective sides’ first match of double Gameweek 34.

Although Pogba is still struggling through injury, those considering the likes of Puncheon or Ramirez as cheap midfield options will have to keep a keen eye on their discipline.

Twenty players currently boast seven yellow cards apiece.

Among the big names here are Chelsea pair Diego Costa and Pedro, who are still at risk should they pick up a caution in each of the next three (CPL, MCI, bou).

While that feat is more than achievable by Costa, in particular, his 39% ownership will be somewhat soothed by one booking in his last nine league outings, while the 10%-owned Pedro has gone eight league outings without collecting a caution.

In saying that, it’s still worth noting that should either player contrive to somehow earn themselves a suspension in such fashion, they would only miss one league match (against Man United in Gameweek 33) as their FA Cup semi-final clash with Spurs takes place prior to a Gameweek 34 derby with Man City.

The same scenario applies to the 13%-owned Raheem Sterling.

Should the City wide man be booked in the next three league fixtures against Arsenal, Chelsea and Hull to resultantly trigger a two-match ban, he’d still be available for the Gameweek 34 derby against United as he would instead miss the Gameweek 33 match with Southampton and ensuing FA Cup semi-final with Arsenal.

United’s Antonio Valencia – the most transferred in player for the Gameweek – is also on seven yellows.

Now up to 14% ownership, the Ecuadorian could conceivably still miss the first match of double Gameweek 34 if he’s booked in the next three league matches (WBA, EVE, sun).

Ironically, Zlatan Ibrahimovic – who is also on seven cautions – will avoid toppling off the tightrope due to the fact that he is currently suspended.

The United forward serves the last of a three-match ban in the Gameweek 30 encounter against West Brom, meaning he can only accumulate two further bookings, in Gameweeks 31 and 32, and move onto nine cautions at most before the cut-off date is extended.

Hull’s Tom Huddlestone, meanwhile, will remain on seven cautions until the cut-off date passes as he will sit out the next three matches due to suspension after being sent off in the Gameweek 29 loss at Everton.

As mentioned, Palace will only play twice before the April 9 cut-off date, so both Yohan Cabaye and Damien Delaney are safe on seven yellows apiece ahead of their double Gameweek 34.

One player not yet mentioned – Watford’s Jose Holebas – remains way out in front for total bookings earned. The wing-back sits on 12 cautions for the season, just three short of the 15 required before he would suffer a three-match ban. No player has ever earned 15 bookings in a single Premier League season; Watford’s reluctance to break that record may well explain why the Greek defender was benched at Crystal Palace in Gameweek 29.