Newcastle United could exploit Premier League suspension loophole - if this happens v Crystal Palace

Joelinton has been shown nine yellow cards in the Premier League this season and will be banned for the upcoming matches against Aston Villa and Ipswich Town if he is shown his 10th booking against Crystal Palace at St James’ Park (7:30pm kick-off).

After picking up his ninth booking of the Premier League season over two months ago against Fulham, Joelinton has managed to go Newcastle’s next seven games without being booked.

Missing three matches due to injury almost certainly helped in that respect but Sunday’s 4-1 win against Manchester United at St James’ Park was his fourth consecutive game without a booking.

Premier League suspension rules

Joelinton has already been suspended for one match this season after picking up five bookings in Newcastle’s opening 19 Premier League matches.

Premier League rules state that any player shown 10 bookings inside a club’s opening 32 league matches will be banned for two games.

Newcastle’s 32nd game of the season is against Crystal Palace meaning if Joelinton avoids a booking he will avoid a ban.

Newcastle host Crystal Palace on Wednesday evening (7:30pm kick-off) in what will be their 32nd game of the league season. Premier League suspension rules state that the 10 booking cut-off point for players comes after their club has played 32 games.

Any player shown 15 bookings is handed a three match ban though the record for most bookings in a Premier League season stands at 14.

But if Joelinton does pick up a yellow card, there is a rather naughty we he could get his two-match ban reduced to one-match.

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Newcastle United could exploit Premier League loophole if Joelinton is booked v Crystal Palace

If booked against Palace, Joelinton would find himself in a unique situation where getting a second yellow card would arguably be encouraged as it would reduce his ban.

While a 10th yellow card would result in a two-match ban for Joelinton, a sending-off as a result of two yellow cards would only see him handed a one-match ban before returning. And by the time he returns, the 32 game threshold would have passed so further punishment would be avoided.

The obvious drawbacks would see Newcastle reduced to 10-men against Crystal Palace, which is a risky strategy in itself.

But Newcastle arguably benefitted from the loophole in the rules last season when Anthony Gordon was on the verge of a two-match yellow card ban but instead got a second yellow and sent off in the closing stages of the 4-3 win against West Ham United. Gordon served a one-match ban before returning and avoided a yellow-card suspension as a result.

No other players are at risk of yellow card suspensions for Newcastle this season with Dan Burn and Fabian Schar already serving one-match bans after picking up five yellow cards earlier in the season.

Newcastle head into the Crystal Palace match sitting fourth in the table but would go third with a result at St James’ Park. A six successive win would see the side climb five points inside the Champions League places with six games left to play.

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