Once we get to this point in a Premier League campaign, it can be very hard to know where you stand with yellow cards and suspensions.
Everyone wants to know which players are available for the big games coming up and some want to know as it affects their Fantasy Football picks for the weekend.
Here is an explanation of how the suspension rules work in the Premier League this season and when they will be reset.
As we all know, once a player has accumulated five yellow cards in the Premier League, they have to serve a one-match suspension. That is only the case for the first 19 games of the season though, rather than up to a certain point in the season in a calendar sense. These yellow cards do not affect FA Cup and Carabao Cup games.
If a player reaches five yellow cards after their team’s 19th game of the season, that does not lead to a suspension.
After that point in the season, the punishment can get more severe. For any player that accumulates ten yellow cards in Premier League up to and including their team’s 32nd fixture, a two-match suspension is on the cards. That can mean missing two crucial games towards the end of the campaign.
This is an extra thing for the players to be thinking about as the season wears on.
Due to the postponement of some Premier League games in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II’s death back in September, there are plenty of teams on differing numbers of games right now. Eight teams have played 17 games, whilst the other 12 have played 18 games.
Some players have already served their first suspension and are racking up more yellow cards on the other side. They are the ones that you want to watch out for in relation to a two-match ban if they reach ten yellows by Matchday 32.
Ruben Neves is leading the way with seven yellows, while the likes of Joelinton, Bobby Decordova-Reid, Anthony Gordon, Joao Palhinha, Kenny Tete and Ivan Toney have all got six. Some very big names are sat on five yellows now, with some having already served their suspension and others not.
Tottenham duo Rodrigo Bentancur and Yves Bissouma are in this boat, along with Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes. He has already served his ban so he will be in action against Manchester City on Saturday. Digo Dalot and Scott McTominay are also on five.
Ones to watch are Harry Kane, Alexis Mac Allister, Bukayo Saka, William Saliba and Kieran Trippier who are all on four yellows.
