In the Suspension Tightrope, we look at the Fantasy Premier League (FPL) players who are racking up the yellow cards.
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
There are nine players who are sat on four yellow cards, one booking away from a ban.
A lot of them are midfielders of mostly no appeal, Douglas Luiz (£5.4m) being a possible exception as he takes Aston Villa’s penalties and some of their set plays.
Full-back Lucas Digne (£4.6m), owned by 6% of FPL bosses, is the most notable name from a Fantasy perspective.
There are 20 other players one caution further back.
Bruno Fernandes (£8.4m), Destiny Udogie (£4.9m) and Kaoru Mitoma (£6.6m) are the most significant names on three yellow cards, each of them boasting double-digit ownerships.
WHO IS CURRENTLY SUSPENDED – AND WHO WILL RETURN FROM A BAN IN GAMEWEEK 9?
Malo Gusto (£4.2m), Rodri (£5.6m), Jean Ricner Bellegarde (£5.0m), Diogo Jota (£7.7m), Moussa Niakhate (£4.5m) and Anthony Gordon (£5.6m) all return from their respective bans in Gameweek 9.
So too does Reece James (£5.3m), who was declared injury-free by Mauricio Pochettino last Friday but who had to serve a one-match ban after pleading guilty to an FA charge.
Aaron Hickey (£4.5m) picked up his fifth booking of the season in Brentford’s defeat at Old Trafford, so will sit out Gameweek 9.
Also sidelined for the next Gameweek are Mario Lemina (£4.9m) and Yves Bissouma (£5.0m), who were both sent off for two bookable offences in their respective sides’ matches at the weekend.
Curtis Jones (£4.9m), dismissed for serious foul play in Gameweek 7, will remain out until Gameweek 11.
Ivan Toney (£7.9m) is, of course, not available 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.
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