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Liverpool face Fulham in the Premier League and one player is walking a disciplinary tightrope.
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Alexis Mac Allister has enjoyed a few days off exploring Saint Moritz - not that he would have wanted it.
While the Liverpool midfielder might not have predicted he’d be enjoying a winter break in the Swiss Alps before Christmas, that is what he was granted. It’s one that made sense, too.
A suspension in the Champions League for accruing three yellow cards was served during the 1-0 win Girona earlier this week. And with the Merseyside derby against Everton postponed last weekend, Mac Allister’s Premier League one-game ban for five bookings carries over to the visit of Fulham on Saturday.
Given that Mac Allister will go 14 days without a match - he is next eligible to face Southampton in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday 17 December - it’s easy to see why he was given a leave of absence. The Argentina international has been a key player for Arne Slot’s English and European table toppers.
At this time of the season, clubs throughout the Premier League are wary of potential suspensions. Any player who is cautioned five times in the first 19 fixtures must serve a one-game ban. And as Liverpool prepare to host Fulham, aiming to restore a seven-point lead at the summit of the table, Ryan Gravenberch is walking a disciplinary tightrope. The midfielder has started all 14 top-flight games this season and was an ever-present before being substituted in a 3-3 draw against Newcastle United.
Gravenberch picked up his fourth booking at St James’ Park - and means he is close to a ban. The Netherlands international has to avoid a yellow card in the next five games to ensure he does not have to sit out a match. Should Gravenberch receive a caution against Fulham then he will be out for the trip to Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday 22 December.
Ibrahima Konate is also on four bookings but the centre-back is sidelined with a knee injury. Darwin Nunez, Cody Gakpo, Dominic Szobsozlai and Trent Alexander-Arnold are on three cautions respectively.