The three Leeds United and Crystal Palace players who could miss Elland Road clash due to Premier League rule
Leeds United welcome Crystal Palace to Elland Road after Sunday’s Premier League trip to Brentford.
Crystal Palace defender Daniel Munoz risks missing his side’s trip to Leeds United next weekend through suspension.
Leeds welcome Palace to Elland Road on Saturday, December 20 for an unusually-timed 8pm kick-off. The fixture was initially due to take place on the Sunday but with Oliver Glasner’s side facing Arsenal in their Carabao Cup quarter-final the following Tuesday, it was moved by the Premier League.
There is a full round of Premier League action to come this weekend first, with Leeds due at Brentford while Palace host Manchester City. And Eagles defender Munoz will have to avoid a yellow card during that game at Selhurst Park or he will be forced to miss a trip to Elland Road in just over a week’s time.
FA suspension rules state any player who accumulates five yellow cards before the end of their team’s 19th Premier League game will serve an automatic one-match ban. After the midway point of the campaign that threshold increases to 10 bookings, with the punishment also increasing to two games.
Munoz has been on four yellow cards since November 22, with the attacking full-back avoiding a crucial fifth caution during games against Manchester United and Burnley since. He missed Palace’s 2-1 weekend win at Fulham due to a minor knee injury that head coach Glasner admitted needs to be carefully managed.
“We were managing his knee now for a few weeks,” Glasner explained. “Then it was just yesterday that it was too risky. We never take any risk and it just made sense to give him a break.”
Crystal Palace and Leeds United suspension risks
Palace face Shelbourne FC in the Europa Conference League before hosting City on Sunday and should Munoz return for the latter, he runs the risk of being forced to sit Leeds out should he be booked. The Colombian is the only Eagles player walking that suspension tightrope ahead of next weekend’s Elland Road meeting.
German forward Kevin Schade will sit out Sunday’s meeting between Leeds and Brentford after accumulating five yellow cards. He was booked for a late challenge on Xavi Simons’ during the Bees’ 2-0 defeat at Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.
Leeds have two first-team players on four yellow cards for the season, with Jayden Bogle reaching that milestone after an early yellow card during last weekend’s 3-3 draw against Liverpool. The right-back’s late first-half challenge on Conor Bradley was punished by referee Antony Taylor and one more caution at Brentford would see him miss Palace.
Club captain Ethan Ampadu has been walking the tightrope for several weeks, having picked up a fourth yellow card of his season against Aston Villa on November 23. The midfielder has done well to keep himself out of trouble in three matches since, particularly given his combative nature.
With 15 Premier League games played so far, Ampadu and Bogle will need to come through a further four matches without being booked to avoid a suspension. The cut-off point for Leeds, barring any postponements, is full-time at Liverpool on New Year’s Day.