Captain Bruno Fernandes will be walking a disciplinary tightrope when Manchester United take on Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday afternoon.
The attacking-midfielder, who scored in Portugal's 2-0 win over Iceland last weekend, is just one booking away from being handed a one-match suspension in the Premier League. Fernandes has been cautioned four times already this season and a fifth booking will result in a ban.
The 29-year-old collected his fourth yellow card of the season in the latter stages of the derby against Manchester City on October 29, meaning he has been treading a fine line in each of the Reds' last two league outings. He escaped the referee's notebook against both Fulham and Luton Town.
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Fernandes was also booked in United's clashes with Tottenham Hotspur, Nottingham Forest and Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this season. Interestingly, three of his four cautions this term have been earned in added time, with two coming in second half injury time and one in first half injury time.
The midfielder, who has scored four goals and registered three assists for the Reds so far this season, has played every minute of United's Premier League campaign so far this term, meaning the prospect of losing him at any stage in the near future will force Erik ten Hag and his players into uncharted territory. As a side note, the Reds have not started a league game without Fernandes since November 6 last year.
Fernandes, on that occasion, served a one-match ban, missing United's 3-1 defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park just a few weeks before the World Cup. He earned five yellow cards in United's opening 14 Premier League games last season and currently has four after 12 matches this season.
Premier League rules state that any player who collects five yellow cards from his side's first 19 matches will serve a one-match ban. Cards are not carried over to the Carabao Cup or the FA Cup.
No other members of Ten Hag's squad are in immediate danger of earning a one-match suspension. However, goalkeeper Andre Onana is Fernandes' closest rival in the battle to avoid five bookings, currently finding himself on three yellow cards.
