- Manchester United face Liverpool, West Ham and Aston Villa later this month
- Villa, Everton, Luton and Sheffield United all have three players on four yellows
- Manchester United have snakes in their dressing room – It’s All Kicking Off
Bruno Fernandes is one of a number of Premier League stars who will need to be on their best behaviour in the next five games in order to avoid a one-game ban.
After 19 games of the Premier League season, all accrued yellow cards become redundant, meaning that players on four, nine or 14 yellow cards cannot receive bans for additional cards.
With 14 games down, that means there are five remaining for 27 top-flight players to avoid another booking, and potentially not leave their side short as we head into the hectic festive period.
Those of course who pick up five after the halfway mark will still pick up a ban, however.
Manchester United skipper Fernandes, therefore, will need to be careful to avoid handing yet another blow to a beleaguered Red Devils, particularly with key clashes on the horizon.
Chelsea are next up on Wednesday in west London, before the visit of Bournemouth at the weekend, followed by meetings with Liverpool, West Ham and Aston Villa in what is a very tricky run of games for Erik ten Hag’s side.
The Blues themselves will also be wary of two of their own stars who are eyeing a one-game suspension, with both Raheem Sterling and Enzo Fernandez – who have been so key to Mauricio Pochettino’s plans – on four bookings so far this season.
Top-of-the-table Arsenal could lose Kai Havertz just as he hits form, having scored twice in the last 10 days after a slow start to life at the Emirates.
As for injury-stricken Newcastle, Eddie Howe will be crossing his fingers that he is not further deprived of key first-teamers Sean Longstaff and Kieran Trippier, who are also on four bookings each.
Anthony Gordon could even pick up a two-game ban with six yellows to his name, which would be a bitter blow to a Newcastle side already running on fumes with a number of first-team injuries.
Aston Villa, Everton, Luton and new boss Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United will all be on tenterhooks with three players each one card away from a ban, too, while Nottingham Forest and Wolves have two.
The Villans could lose first-teamers Matty Cash, Douglas Luiz and Lucas Digne, with Brentford sure to be agonising over every tackle made by Kristoffer Ajer.
West Ham duo Emerson and Edson Alvarez both have six yellows, while Lucas Paqueta has already reached his quota of five.
Tottenham defender Destiny Udogie could hand Ange Postecoglou another defensive headache should he pick up another booking.
Brighton captain Lewis Dunk – recently shown a red for dissent towards Anthony Taylor – could get another ban should he find himself in the book again in the next five games, too.
The Blades’ new boss Wilder will be hoping that Anel Ahmedhodzic, Oliver Norwood and Jack Robinson can stay out of trouble as he looks to get his latest tenure at Bramall Lane off to a good start at the busiest point in the season.
Forest’s £30million summer recruit Ibrahim Sangare has already picked up four bookings after slotting straight into the side, with team-mate Orel Mangala also walking a fine line.
Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace), Hwang Hee-chan, Rayan Ait-Nouri (both Wolves) and Luton trio Marvelous Nakamba, Issa Kabore and Tom Lockyer complete the list of 27 players.
Olivia Martin is a dedicated sports journalist based in the UK. With a passion for various athletic disciplines, she covers everything from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis.
