Why Sunderland fans are calling for their OWN PLAYERS to be booked against Liverpool

"Sunderland face one of the tougher assignments of this busy Premier League midweek, travelling to Merseyside to take on Premier League champions Liverpool. Some Sunderland fans have been looking beyond Wednesday's fixture to the games ahead and have suggested that a little forward planning on the disciplinary front might work counter-intuitively in the Black Cats' favour. There's even an argument that two of Sunderland's players would actually benefit from being shown the yellow card at Anfield."

"The case for tactical bookings' for Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki against Liverpool is logically sound but entirely dismissive of the vindictiveness of the football gods when they feel they're being played. Both key players for Regis Le Bris, Sadiki and captain Xhaka have each been shown four yellow cards and are therefore one away from an automatic one-match suspension. According to Premier League rules, any player who collects five bookings within their team's first 19 fixtures of the season must serve a one-match ban."

"If Xhaka and Sadiki were to be yellow carded against Liverpool, they'd miss Sunderland's away fixture against Manchester City on Saturday afternoon. If they were to escape punishment for 90 minutes on Wednesday and then be booked at the Etihad Stadium, they'd miss the Wear-Tyne derby against Newcastle United at the Stadium of Light on Sunday, 14 December. Le Bris has acknowledged that both players are expected to manage the situation appropriately but pointed out that he thinks the Sunderland squad is strong enough to deal with whatever derby day throws at them regardless"

Sunderland travel to Merseyside to play Premier League champions Liverpool in a busy midweek fixture. Some supporters propose deliberately accepting yellow cards for captain Granit Xhaka and full-back Noah Sadiki to manipulate suspension timing. Both players have four bookings and will incur a one-match ban upon a fifth yellow within the first 19 fixtures. If booked at Anfield they would miss the away match against Manchester City; if kept clean at Anfield and booked at the Etihad they would instead miss the Wear-Tyne derby versus Newcastle United on 14 December. Head coach Regis Le Bris expects the players to manage the situation and rates the squad capable of coping.

Read at www.fourfourtwo.com