As you may have read in our previous article, Nicolas Jackson (£7.0m) will miss Gameweek 7 after picking up his fifth booking of the season on Sunday.
In this Suspension Tightrope piece, we look at the other Fantasy Premier League (FPL) players who are racking up the yellow cards and how close they are to a one-match ban.
This article reveals when the cut-off dates are for suspensions and how many bookings our players have to avoid in order to dodge a ban.
We also look at who is currently suspended, be it for yellow card accumulation or sendings off.
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.
The one we’re concerned about right now is the five-caution mark, an unwanted target that Premier League players will have to avoid for their team’s first 19 league matches of the season.
That’ll be Gameweek 19 in most cases. Manchester City and Brentford, who contest their 19th fixture in Gameweek 20, are the exceptions.
Of course, any postponements, whether they be weather-related or Covid-enforced, would change that situation.
Punishments for yellow card accumulation are competition-specific, whereas suspensions for dismissals cover all competitive matches.
ON FOUR/THREE YELLOW CARDS
Anthony Gordon (£5.6m) is in a rich vein of form, has favourable fixtures on his side and may be down a positional rival after Harvey Barnes (£6.4m) picked up a toe injury on Sunday.
But he’s also sat on four yellow cards, one booking away from a ban.
Gordon is the only FPL asset on four bookings but there are 17 other players one caution further back.
Bruno Fernandes (£8.4m) is a notable name on three yellow cards, while Ben Chilwell (£5.6m) has joined this group after being booked in each of his last three appearances.
Lucas Paqueta (£6.0m), who has committed more fouls than any other Premier League player this season (14), is also two bookings away from a ban.
WHO IS CURRENTLY BANNED?
Jackson will return from his one-match ban in Gameweek 8.
Malo Gusto (£4.3m), Rodri (£5.7m) and Jean Ricner Bellegarde (£5.0m) will not be available until Gameweek 9 after their straight red cards at the weekend. One of the three games they are suspended for will be served in the midweek EFL Cup ties.
Lyle Foster (£5.0m), sent off for violent conduct last Monday, will also serve the second match of his three-game ban in the Carabao Cup. He’ll miss the first half of Burnley’s Double Gameweek 7 but return for the second fixture against Luton Town next Tuesday.
Ivan Toney (£7.9m) is, of course, out until mid-January.
Keep your eyes peeled on our Suspension Tightrope widget over the coming weeks and months, as we’ll be updating that after every Gameweek to keep you informed on the latest disciplinary developments.
