Sheffield United defender on the brink of running suspension risk with cut-off point weeks away
Sheffield United defender Japhet Tanganga will have to watch his step over the coming weeks.
Sheffield United captain Japhet Tanganga is on the brink of finding himself walking a disciplinary tightrope - with more than two months to go until the cut-off point.
The centre-back, who has played every minute of the Blades’ Championship campaign so far this season, has been shown three yellow cards in United’s first eight outings.
After being cautioned in the Blades’ 0-0 draw with Swansea City at the Swansea.com Stadium last month, Tanganga, 27, was also booked in the Blades’ 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers and their 1-0 defeat to Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this month.
The defender was cautioned shortly after half-time against Wolves after being guilty of clipping attacker Mateus Mané. The Portuguese attacker picked Tanganga’s pocket, and the latter felt it necessary to haul him down.
Three cautions in United’s first eight matches of their Championship campaign mean Tanganga must now tread very carefully to avoid a suspension. English Football League rules state that any player who is shown five yellow cards within their club’s opening 19 league matches must serve a one-match ban.
Tanganga, who was on the scoresheet in United’s 3-2 win over Bolton Wanderers earlier this month, is one of 26 players in the Championship to have been shown a minimum of three yellow cards so far this season. Eight players have been booked on four occasions, meaning they are each one yellow card away from being handed a one-match suspension.
Tanganga is now tasked with avoiding being booked twice between now and the conclusion of United’s clash with West Ham United at Bramall Lane on Friday, December 4, which will mark the cut-off point for avoiding a one-match ban for accumulating five yellow cards.
United, who will be hoping to return to winning ways when they welcome Lincoln City to Bramall Lane on the other side of the international break, have received 14 yellow cards in total so far this season. However, nobody other than Tanganga has been booked more than twice, meaning no other member of Chris Wilder’s squad is currently close to being at risk of earning a one-match suspension.
Under traditional EFL rules, the accumulation of ten yellow cards within any club’s opening 37 league matches will result in a two-match ban.