Everton star Amadou Onana is walking on a gloomy suspension tight-rope
Everton star Amadou Onana is walking on a suspension tight-rope and is one yellow card away from a one-match ban.
The midfielder picked up his fourth yellow card of the campaign against Fulham on Saturday and will now have to avoid being carded until January.
This will leave Frank Lampard with a selection headache at some point in the near future with big games looming before the FIFA World Cup.
Onana has become a key cog in Lampard’s new-look Everton midfield alongside Alex Iwobi, Idrissa Gueye and in recent outings James Garner.
He has made 13 appearances so far, starting 12 on the bounce, highlighting his importance to Lampard’s rebuilt Everton squad.
However, cautions against Nottingham Forest, Liverpool, Manchester United and now Fulham have left him on the verge of suspension.
Bleak.
Onana’s chances of avoiding a costly fifth yellow card before January are bleak and unlikely.
It seems Lampard will be left with a selection headache at some point when the untimely suspension arrives.
The Blues’ disciplinary record this season hasn’t been the best with Anthony Gordon already receiving a one-match suspension for picking up too many yellow cards.
But Onana is as vital to Everton as any other player right now and the gap he’d leave during his suspension is an annoying one.
Garner has shown he can come in and do a job for the Blues but he’s less defensive-minded than Onana which would leave the Toffees vulnerable.
Onana’s midfield partner Gueye is also on three yellow cards for the season so far, highlighting another potential concern for Lampard moving forward.
Whatever the case may be, it looks like Everton will have to bite the bullet on this one, there’s no chance Onana is avoiding another yellow until January.