Granit Xhaka and Sunderland star could miss Newcastle United match - on one condition
Sunderland midfield duo Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki are each on the verge of a Premier League ban.
Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki are just one booking away from a one-match Premier League ban for Sunderland.
The midfield duo have accumulated four bookings in Sunderland’s opening 11 Premier League matches. Premier League rules state any player that picks up five bookings inside a team’s opening 19 league games is automatically handed a one-match ban.
Sadiki picked up his fourth booking against Everton while Xhaka was booked against his former club Arsenal last time out before the international break.
Both players have been crucial and ever-present for Sunderland on their impressive return to the Premier League so far.
The Black Cats were tipped as relegation favourites in the summer having earned promotion via the Championship play-offs but have already accumulated 19 points from their opening 11 games. It leaves them sitting fourth in the table heading into a busy festive fixture schedule, which includes a mouth-watering derby match againt Newcastle United on December 14.
Sunderland’s points tally is already seven more than Southampton managed throughout the whole of last season and only seven fewer than the points tally needed to survive in the top flight last term.
But the busy festive schedule, paired with African Cup of Nations departure and suspension concerns, is set to prove a true test for Le Régis Le Bris’ side.
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Sunderland duo at risk of missing Newcastle United match?
Sunderland will be desperate to have both Xhaka and Sadiki available for the derby match against Newcastle at the Stadium of Light next month.
Both players are on course to be handed a Premier League ban unless they are able to go the next eight games without picking up another booking. But the timing of their bookings could prove crucial.
A yellow card in Sunderland’s return to Premier League action at Fulham on Saturday would rule the respective player out for the Bournemouth match. Sunderland then face trips to Liverpool then Manchester City before hosting The Magpies.
Should Xhaka and Sadiki avoid bookings against Fulham, Bournemouth and Liverpool before getting booked against Manchester City, they would miss the Newcastle match. The Black Cats have no other players at risk of a yellow card suspension as things stand with Reinildo Mandava the only other Sunderland player with more than one booking.
He would have to be booked a further three times before matchday 20 in order to face a yellow card suspension.
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Newcastle United players at risk of a ban
Newcastle defender Dan Burn picked up a red card last time out against Brentford and will serve his suspension during Saturday’s match against Manchester City at St James’ Park (5:30pm kick-off).
As Burn was sent off for two yellow cards, he will only be suspended for one match before returning to contention against Everton the following weekend.
Aside from his red card, the England international has picked up three bookings in the Premier League this season and is two yellow cards away from a ban. Newcastle captain Bruno Guimaraes is also two bookings away from a suspension.