In the Suspension Tightrope, we look at the players close to a ban, already suspended or returning from the naughty step in Gameweek 23.
A reminder: players now reaching five bookings will no longer incur a suspension.
WHEN ARE THE CUT-OFF POINTS FOR SUSPENSIONS?
The table above is from the Football Association website and details the cut-off points for the various yellow card thresholds.
With five cautions no longer the danger zone, the next target players have to avoid is 10. Anyone racking up that many yellow cards before their club has contested 32 fixtures will get a two-match ban.
And your usual reminder: punishments for yellow card accumulation are competition-specific. Suspensions for dismissals cover all competitive matches.
THE RACE TO (AVOID) 10 YELLOW CARDS
Most players still have plenty of breathing room when it comes to the dreaded 10-caution mark.
Cristian Romero (£5.0m) joined Lewis Dunk (£4.5m) on eight bookings for the season in Gameweek 22. Both centre-backs now have to avoid two more cautions in their clubs’ next 10 matches to avoid a two-game ban.
WHICH PLAYERS SERVE SUSPENSIONS IN GAMEWEEK 23?
Away from yellow cards, Michael Keane (£4.7m) will still be suspended in Gameweek 23.
This will be the third match of his three-game ban, having served the first in last Saturday’s FA Cup tie against Sunderland.
No one is suspended anew after Gameweek 22.
Mykhailo Mudryk (£4.9m) remains indefinitely banned by the FA – but there are rumours suggesting he might return soon. He was spotted at Stamford Bridge on Saturday, indeed.
RETURNING FROM A BAN IN GAMEWEEK 23
In the words of Frank Drebin: “Please disperse, nothing to see here”.
No one of any great note returns in Gameweek 23, although Manchester United rookie Shea Lacey (£4.5m) is back after a one-match suspension. He was sent off in the FA Cup third round and missed Gameweek 22.
