Despite being one of Tottenham Hotspur’s best players this season, Yves Bissouma briefly turned villain during Spurs’ pre-international break clash with Luton Town.
Having already been booked for a suspicious foul in his own half, the midfielder then received a second yellow card for diving just before half-time. It was a moment of stupidity that proved to be a costly one for Ange Postecoglou’s men as Spurs beat Luton and won their next game at Fulham, for whom Bissouma was suspended.
However, the Mali international is not out of the woods yet. Despite serving a one-match ban for his red card against the Hatters, Bissouma risks getting himself suspended again on Friday against Crystal Palace.
Bissouma is at risk of another suspension / Marc Atkins/GettyImages
Bissouma went to Kenilworth Road for the international season when he was on the ropes. The former Brighton man had four yellow cards in the Premier League, knowing a fifth would see him banned for one match due to the Premier League’s strict rules.
However, Bissouma’s red card replaced his first yellow card, meaning the 27-year-old remains on four yellow cards.
As a result, Bissouma will earn another one-match ban if he picks up another yellow card against Crystal Palace, or any booking during the season and until Tottenham’s 19th game of the season in the league when the ban limit rises to ten yellow cards.
Given that Tottenham have played just nine games this season, Bissouma must avoid a booking for his next ten games – something that seems unlikely given his disciplinary record. Bissouma has received 37 yellow cards in 143 Premier League games since his promotion to the league in 2018, an average of one every four games.
If he receives a yellow card against Palace on Friday, he will miss Tottenham’s London clash against Chelsea just over a week later.
Hojbjerg replaced Bissouma against Fulham / James Gill – Danehouse/GettyImages
While Bissouma remains Tottenham’s only player one yellow card away from suspension, the Lilywhites have several players approaching a one-match ban.
Indeed, in Monday’s 2-0 win against Fulham, Bissouma’s substitute Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg picked up a yellow card against the Cottagers to take three points for the season. Young left-back Destiny Udogie is also two chips away from a ban after facing tough wingers this season.
Richarlison, James Maddison, Pape Matar Sarr, Ivan Perisic and goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario all have two cards each.
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