Maybe the weather was to blame. For the first time in eight Gameweeks, there were no red cards flashed by referees as Tuesday and Wednesday’s eight fixtures found Premier League players on their best behaviour. For a certain Sunderland defender, however, the cancellation of a midweek trip to the Etihad has ensured he remains on the naughty step for a little bit longer:
Wes Brown was due to serve the first of a two-match ban against City on Tuesday but, after the Manchester wind forced the game’s cancellation, he will now miss the Gameweek 27 trip to Arsenal, in addition to this weekend’s FA Cup clash against Southampton. Given that the Black Cats’ Gameweek 28 game against West Brom has also been postponed due to their Capital One Cup final duties, this means Brown won’t be available for league duties until March 10 – when Gus Poyet’s side roll up to Anfield.
Cardiff’s Craig Bellamy will serve the second of a three-match ban for violent conduct this weekend. The Welshman decided against appealing the FA’s retrospective charge following an incident with Jonathan de Guzman in last weekend’s loss at Swansea – he will miss the FA Cup clash against holders Wigan and a home match with Hull before returning for the Gameweek 28 trip to Tottenham. Andy Carroll will serve the last of his three-match ban against Southampton when league duties recommence and will return for the Hammers’ trip to Everton on March 1.
The trio are the only players currently serving suspensions after Allan McGregor, Loic Remy and Mathieu Flamini all completed the last of their respective three-match bans during the week. McGregor is expected to take his place between the sticks for Hull’s trip to Cardiff next time around as Steve Bruce’s side go in search of a second successive away clean sheet.
Remy’s return to the Newcastle first XI will be a welcome relief for Alan Pardew. The Frenchman will surely be installed up top at home to Aston Villa as the Magpies manager attempts to arrest an alarming run of form which has seen his side fail to score in seven of the last eight league matches.
Flamini’s availability for Arsenal’s clash with Sunderland gives Arsene Wenger the option of moving Jack Wilshere into an advanced berth on the flank after being stationed in the double-pivot alongside Mikel Arteta in each of the last two Gameweeks.
On this week’s Suspension Tightrope, we now have six players just a couple of cautions away from a ban. West Brom’s Claudio Yacob is our newest arrival after picking up a booking in Tuesday’s home draw against Chelsea – he joins Fabian Delph, Marouane Chamakh, Wayne Rooney, Jon Walters and Baggies team-mate Jonas Olsson on eight yellow cards. Villa, Chelsea and West Brom are the most represented teams on the newly-updated Tightrope – all have three players with at least seven cautions to their name thus far.
