A host of Premier League players are one yellow card away from suspension as the halfway point of the campaign nears.

A total of 27 players have picked up exactly four cautions in the Premier League, with five yellow cards in a team’s first 19 games the threshold for a one-game ban. If players on four yellow cards receive their fifth booking of the season on or after their side’s 20th league game, they will not be banned.

A new threshold then needs to be met in order to be suspended with any player earning 10 or more cautions inside their club’s first 32 matches issued with a two-match ban.

Ahead of Leeds United’s trip to Aston Villa on Friday, six players are facing the prospect of a ban. The Whites have played 17 games this term, meaning there are two fixtures for Rasmus Kristensen and Marc Roca to avoid a yellow card.

English referee Chris Kavanagh (R) shows a yellow card to Arsenal's Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes (C) having earlier shown his a red card during the English Premier League football match between Leeds United and Arsenal at Elland Road in Leeds, northern England on October 16, 2022. (Photo by LINDSEY PARNABY/AFP via Getty Images)

For Villa, Leon Bailey, John McGinn, Tyrone Mings and Jacob Ramsey have just one game to avoid a fifth yellow card with Unai Emery’s side having played 18 of their league matches this term.

No Leeds players have picked up five yellow cards in the Premier League this term although a host of other players from the division have faced bans with Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves on seven yellows, the most in the league.

Leeds face Brentford on January 22 with two Bees players facing the prospect of being banned for that game. Aaron Hickey and Bryan Mbeumo are both on four yellow cards each ahead of Brentford’s 19th league game of the season against Bournemouth, meaning a caution for either player will rule them out against Leeds.

Premier League players on four yellow cards

Aston Villa (4) – Leon Bailey, John McGinn, Tyrone Mings, Jacob Ramsey

Nottingham Forest (4) – Steve Cook, Scott McKenna, Joe Worrall, Ryan Yates

Arsenal (3) – Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, William Saliba

Brentford (2) – Aaron Hickey, Bryan Mbeumo.

Crystal Palace (2) – Jeffrey Schlupp, Joel Ward

Newcastle (2) – Fabian Schär, Kieran Trippier

Leeds (2) – Rasmus Kristensen, Marc Roca

Wolves (2) – Nélson Semedo, Daniel Podence

Brighton (1) – Alexis Mac Allister

Fulham (1) – Antonee Robinson

Leicester (1) – Boubakary Soumaré

Southampton (1) – Mohammed Salisu

Tottenham (1) – Harry Kane

West Ham (1) – Thilo Kehrer

AFC Bournemouth (0)

Chelsea (0)

Everton (0)

Liverpool (0)

Manchester City (0)

Manchester United (0)

The 27 Premier League players walking suspension tightrope this weekend - including two Leeds United men and four each from Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest

Premier League players on four yellow cards