Why three Wolves players need to be on their best behaviour as they take on Everton in the Premier League

Wolves are preparing to face Everton in the Premier League on Wednesday.

Wolves will travel to Merseyside to take on Sean Dyche’s Toffees where Gary O’Neil is expected to make six changes to the Wolves lineup. Both teams will be desperate for all three points after Game Week 13 saw them handed crushing 4-2 and 4-0 defeats by Bournemouth and Manchester United, respectively.

However, for Wolves, despite currently sitting inside the relegation zone with just nine points, the importance of Saturday’s away match extends beyond just picking up points.

The Midlands-based side, who are already without Nelson Semedo after the Portuguese full-back picked up his fifth booking of the campaign against the Cherries last time out, run the risk of losing another three players through suspension.

Three Wolves players close to suspension

The Premier League’s disciplinary and suspension rules state that any player who accumulates five bookings before Game Week 19 will receive a one-game ban.

As things stand, ahead of this weekend’s next round of fixtures, there are 27 Premier League players on four yellow cards, three of which belong to Wolves’ first-team.

After being booked against Chelsea, Newcastle, Aston Villa and Brighton, Algerian Rayan Ait-Nouri is now one yellow card away from receiving a one-game ban.

Midfielder Joao Gomes is another dangerously close to being suspended. The Brazilian, also on four bookings for the season, received a card against Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa and Manchester City.

Toti Gomes is the third Wolves player just one booking away from being suspended. The Portuguese defender went in the book against Arsenal, Nottingham Forest, Manchester City and Brighton.

Any, or all, of the players currently on four bookings will receive a one-game ban if they pick up another yellow card in the side’s upcoming fixtures against Everton, West Ham, Ipswich Town, Leicester City, Manchester United and Spurs.

Mario Lemina is on three yellow cards and could, therefore, find himself in a similar position before the end of the year.

What other players are one booking away from suspension?

Although Wolves are among the sides with the most players one booking away from a suspension, there are 24 other players also at risk, they are:

Any player who picks up 10 yellow cards before Game Week 32 will be handed a two-match ban.

Both one and two-game suspensions are specific to the Premier League and cannot be served in the FA Cup or League Cup.