Bristol City midfielder Joe Williams is walking a tightrope as he is in danger of picking up a suspension, which would rule him out for one game.
The EFL has disciplinary rules where if a player receives five yellow cards before the 19th game of the season, they will receive an automatic one match ban. For any player that picks up 10 before the 32nd game it’s two, and then if you’ve really got a discipline problem and have 15 cards at any point, then it’s a three match ban.
Mark Sykes is the first player to fall foul to the rule. He came off the bench and played a part in the equaliser against Cardiff City, but also got himself booked in the Severnside Derby. As a result, he will miss the game against Middlesbrough.
He along with Preston North End's Ben Whiteman are suspended this weekend. Aidomo Emakhu, Jonathan Varne, and Liam Walsh are all serving three game bans. Montenegrin striker Milutin Osmajic is serving the longest ban out of anyone for an alleged incident in the game between PNE and Blackburn Rovers.
Sykes will return for the game against Stoke City on Tuesday (October 22) night, but for Williams, he’s now got a nine-game stretch to avoid getting a suspension. Bristol City have a block of six fixtures before the next international break, where they play against Leeds United, Preston, Sheffield United, and Norwich City.
Based on what TransferMarkt is telling us, here’s the players all in danger of serving a ban should they be carded at the weekend or in their next games.
1. Lewis Travis (Blackburn Rovers)
The combative midfielder has been risking suspension since the end of September but managed to avoid a fifth booking in Blackburn's last two games. Rovers host Leeds at the end of November so likely to have served his ban before then. | Getty Images
2. Tyrhys Dolan (Blackburn Rovers)
Again, likely to pick up his fifth yellow and serve a ban before Blackburn host Leeds next month. Will be a big miss for John Eustace when that does happen. | Getty Images
3. Hayden Carter (Blackburn Rovers)
Virtually ever-present defender has picked up a booking every other game since the end of August and on the current trend, will be due his fifth imminently. | Getty Images
4. Joe Williams (Bristol City)
Another who has picked up yellow cards on a regular basis this season, avoiding a fifth during Bristol's 1-1 draw against Cardiff before the break. If the midfielder avoids a yellow at Middlesbrough but is then booked against Stoke City, he will serve a one-game ban at home to Leeds later this month. | Getty Images