Manchester United undroppable at risk of suspension in FA Cup clash vs West Ham

Bruno Fernandes is a yellow card away from missing the quarter-finals of the FA Cup, should Manchester United progress past West Ham on Wednesday evening, while Tyrell Malacia finds himself in the same position.

Competition rules state that players from clubs who enter from the third round onwards will serve a one-match suspension if they pick up two cautions. Fernandes picked up a yellow card in last month’s 3-1 win over Everton so is one booking away from a ban.

Meanwhile, Malacia will be banned if he picks up a caution against West Ham after going into the referee’s notebook during the 3-1 win over Reading in the last round of the FA Cup.

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Unlike red cards, yellow card suspensions only apply to the same competition meaning he would miss a potential quarter-final clash, rather than Sunday’s Premier League game with Liverpool.

Yellow cards are wiped at the quarter-final stage. Fernandes has already missed one United match through yellow card accumulation, having to sit out November’s 3-1 Premier League away defeat to Aston Villa after amassing five yellow cards during the first half of the campaign.

He has tallied nine bookings throughout all competitions this season, an average of almost one every four matches. Malacia has struggled for regular minutes of late but could be given the nod against the Hammers with Luke Shaw a doubt having played the whole of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final win.

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