Sunderland player close to one-match suspension - with three others close to disciplinary threshold

Sunderland centre-back Dan Ballard is still just one yellow card away from a one-match suspension - while three other Black Cats players are getting closer to the disciplinary threshold.

Ballard was shown his fourth yellow card of the season during this month’s 4-0 defeat against Middlesbrough but avoided another booking in subsequent games against Stoke and Leicester.

Still, EFL rules state a player will receive a one-game suspension if they pick up five yellow cards up until the 19th game of the season, which in Sunderland’s case will come when they travel to Millwall on Saturday, December 2. Before that fixture the Black Cats will face Norwich, Swansea, Birmingham, Plymouth and Huddersfield. Players who receive 10 yellow cards up until the 37th league game of the campaign will then receive a two-game suspension.

Sunderland duo Luke O’Nien and Dennis Cirkin were booked during Tuesday’s match at Leicester, meaning they have both received three yellow cards this season, along with Abdoullah Ba.