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We are entering the phase of the season when bookings start to mount up and players are hit with yellow card suspensions, and one Tottenham star is increasingly under threat.
Spurs were hit with several suspensions throughout last season and not just for players piling up yellows. The Lilywhites received four red cards last season, which made their lives much harder amid their various injury crises.
While the biggest culprit, Cristian Romero, has left the club, Tottenham have already suffered one major suspension this term, with Rodrigo Bentancur missing three games after being sent off against Man United.
Bentancur is now available for selection for the upcoming clash against Leeds United, but another Spurs midfielder has to be very careful.
The Premier League’s rules state that players who pick up five yellow cards by the 19th fixture will get a one-match ban. Those who get 10 yellow cards before the 32nd fixture will receive a two-match ban.
One Spurs man is now emerging as the most likely to be the first one suspended due to the yellow card count, with Conor Gallagher already having got three bookings this term.
That means that two more yellows for the England international within the next 10 league fixtures will result in him having to sit out one game.
Archie Gray, Jan Paul van Hecke, Mateus Fernandes and Micky van de Ven are all on two yellow cards each, which means they need four more in 10 matches for a suspension.
James Maddison delivered excellent performances against Coventry City and Chelsea, proving to be Tottenham’s main creative fulcrum in midfield.
De Zerbi chose to go with Omar Marmoush behind the striker against Crystal Palace in order to ensure Spurs had enough firepower, but he may make a change against Leeds.
The Tottenham boss has turned to Conor Gallagher in the number 10 role this season for tough away games such as Brentford and Nottingham Forest.
Leeds are a similarly physical side, who will play with intensity and battle for every second ball, which is why it would not be surprising if the former Atletico Madrid man is drafted back into the eleven at Elland Road.