Premier League ‘signing of the season’ could miss Sunderland vs Leeds, with three stars at risk | OneFootball

Leeds United visit the Stadium of Light on 28 December, three days after Christmas and eight days after hosting Crystal Palace. According to yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk, both captains could be absent through suspension.

Sunderland are eighth after a 1-0 win over Newcastle United. Captain Granit Xhaka, a £17million signing from Bayer Leverkusen, has been pivotal and was recently labelled the Premier League’s signing of the season by Wayne Rooney.

FA rules impose a one-match ban for five bookings before a team’s 19th Premier League game, rising to two for 10 after midway. Xhaka has four yellows and, if booked at Brighton on Saturday, will miss Leeds.

Noah Sadiki and Reinildo Mandava are also on four bookings but are away at AFCON. They will miss Brighton and Leeds, alongside Habib Diarra, Arthur Masuaku, Bertrand Traore and Chemsdine Talbi. Xhaka will know by full-time at Brighton whether he is eligible.

For Daniel Farke’s side, captain Ethan Ampadu and right-back Jayden Bogle are one caution from a ban. Ampadu reached four in last month’s 2-1 defeat at Aston Villa, while Bogle’s fourth came against Liverpool.

With 16 games played, both must avoid cards for three more matches, with the cut-off at full-time at Liverpool on New Year’s Day. Pascal Struijk would need two yellows in the next three to be banned, while Gabriel Gudmundsson, Anton Stach, Willy Gnonto and Noah Okafor are on two cautions.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk