There are a whole load of players in the Premier League close to reaching 10 yellow cards which will result in a two-game ban. So, with a lot of important fixtures this weekend, there's sure to be many cautions dished out by referees looking to make their mark on the games.
We're going to delve into some referee statistics before giving you our four hot picks for players to be booked this weekend for their respective clubs, so let's dive in.
Refwatch – Bankes set for another busy afternoon
Of the referees to have been handed a fixture this weekend, Anthony Taylor sits top of the list for yellow cards dished out with the Manchester-born official having handed out 95 cautions, which averages out to five a game in the league. Michael Oliver, who has the Liverpool vs Manchester City fixture, comes in second with 4.22 yellow cards a game and handed out two red cards all campaign.
Premier League yellow card betting tips – 10 March 2024
Aston Villa vs Tottenham Hotspur: Matty Cash – (13/5)
Matty Cash certainly has a history when it comes to playing Tottenham Hotspur having forced both Matt Doherty and Rodrigo Bentancur off the pitch after wild tackles over the past few seasons. Cash didn't receive a booking for his high lunge on Doherty, while the Poland international was only handed a caution earlier in the campaign against Spurs.
So, it seems like a good punt to go for Cash getting booked because the Spurs players will likely be doing all they can to wind him up and get him off the pitch. As well as this, Cash has also picked up six bookings this season, which is the second-most in the Villa squad despite having made significantly fewer fouls than his other teammates.
Brighton v Nottingham Forest: Ryan Yates – (17/10)
Backing someone who only has four yellow cards this season to be booked may appear to be quite a stretch, however, it's quite bizarre that Ryan Yates hasn't been cautioned more often this campaign. Forest's combative midfielder has racked up 42 fouls in the league – which is the third most – but has only been handed four yellow cards.
That could certainly change this weekend because all of Yates' bookings this season have come away from home. When they face a Brighton team who are in the top seven for keeping possession on average this season, Yates will be looking to disrupt the play.
Referee Michael Salisbury is currently averaging 3.8 yellow cards per game in the Premier League, so it will not be a surprise if Yates ends up in the referee's notebook.
West Ham vs Burnley: Sander Berge – (17/5)
This pick looks pretty self-explanatory when the stats are analysed. Sander Berge is the player to have committed the most fouls within the Burnley squad with 31, and has also racked up seven bookings in the Premier League which is also outright the most under Vincent Kompany.
That's certainly not all, however, because West Ham boats two of the most fouled players in the top 10 this season. Jarrod Bowen and the recently returned Lucas Paqueta have drawn 92 fouls between them. So, the longer the game goes on and Burnley get frustrated by their likely poor continuing away record, the more fouls Berge will look to make.
Liverpool vs Manchester City: Rodri – (9/4)
It's impossible to look at this blockbuster Anfield clash and not think there are going to be plenty of cards and tackles flying in to get the crowd involved. Rodri has seven bookings this season as well as 31 fouls to his name which is 10 more than any other Man City player.
The Spanish international has already been sent off this season when City played Nottingham Forest after a slight altercation with an opposing player. So, this raises the question as to what Rodir may be like in a high-intensity environment like Anfield.
A draw in this fixture certainly does more for Man City's title aspirations than Liverpool's, so the champions could well bring out some of the dark arts of football by committing tactical fouls and picking up bookings to get their opponents riled up.
Be sure to check out a lot more of our free betting tips ahead of this weekend's Premier League action.
