Pre-Boxing Day Premier League Yellow Card Betting Tips and Insight

It has become a trend in recent years for the market to take a look at which players are one card away from a suspension on the weekend before Christmas and here we are. Last year, 37 players were entering the pre-Christmas fixture at risk of a suspension.

Now, this year, Upper90Tips on X have compiled a list of anyone who can miss Boxing Day with a yellow and there are 21 in total.

So, we've looked through each game to take notice of and a few players that we think are worth keeping an eye on at their price, so strap yourselves in and let's look at the odds!

Newcastle vs. Chelsea

• Bruno Guimarães (NEW)

There is only one player who can miss Boxing Day with a booking here, and that is Bruno Guimaraes. Punters regularly look at the Brazilian midfielder for cards, and they will look to do so again this weekend.

This season, he has committed 1.66 fouls per 90, and he has been the most active fouler in the Newcastle team. Against Chelsea, he has a superb chance of a booking, with their midfield averaging a few fouls per game.

The Blues see two cards against them per game, and Eddie Howe's side will certainly be up for it after last weekend's loss to Sunderland.

Bournemouth vs. Burnley

• Antoine Semenyo (BOU)
• Álex Jimènez (BOU)

Bournemouth have two players who can miss their Boxing Day fixture with cards against Burnley. However, it does seem unlikely, I must admit.

The Clarets only see one card against them per game, and whilst the Cherries are the most carded team in the league, it does not seem like there will be many here.

Jaidon Anthony, who will face Jimenez, only draws a foul per game, which instantly makes me question his chances slightly. However, the Spaniard has only made seven fouls this season, but received four cards in this time.

Semenyo does make two fouls per game on average, but with Kyle Walker only drawing 0.8 fouls per game, I'd be wary of the winger entering the book.

My only interest here is Jimenez, then.

Brighton vs. Sunderland

• Ferdi Kadioğlu (BHA)
• Mats Wieffer (BHA)
• Granit Xhaka (SUN)

This looks like it could be a corker for cards, Brighton average two cards against them per game, whilst Sunderland are slightly lower at 1.81. However, they both average two cards for per game, which opens the game up massively.

Both teams have two players who could miss Boxing Day with a card this weekend, and there are certainly a few players of interest.

All three players are of interest here, so I like the look of Kadioğlu, Wieffer and Xhaka. However, it will be dependent on the lineups for me.

Kadioglu's chances look nice, with Simon Adingra looking for a chance to impress against his former team, and with him getting three fouls in his last two games, I think he could be worth a look here.

Wieffer's chances look interesting, and he has committed the most fouls of anyone on these teams so far this season. With that said, Le Fee only draws a foul per game, so I'd be slightly cautious.

Xhaka is very much like Guimaraes in the sense that punters are drawn to him and cards. However, with only a foul committed per game, I am unsure. He avoided a card in the derby, but with Brighton's midfield drawing almost five fouls per game, it could be worth a punt.

Manchester City vs. West Ham

• Bernardo Silva (MCI)
• Gianluigi Donnarumma (MCI)

In this game, I am unsure of both candidates, I must say. Gianluigi Donnarumma's cards this season have been for time wasting or arguments, and normally in tense moments.

However, I don't think there should be any case of this against West Ham, where the Citizens are expected to get by with ease.

For Bernardo Silva, he has six fouls in his last five starts, and West Ham's midfield could certainly be a bit of a problem for the Portuguese. They draw around five fouls per game, especially with Lucas Paqueta drawing two himself.

He is certainly not nailed on for a card, but at 5/1, it is a little tempting, admittedly. He would be my only pick here.

Wolves vs. Brentford

• André (WOL)
• Matt Doherty (WOL)
• Nathan Collins (BRE)

There are a few players of interest for me here, and you can certainly make points for all three of the players. However, there are two that really stand out for me.

Starting with the visitors, Nathan Collins' foul stats are not massively appealing, with him only making 0.72 per game. However, the Wolves strike partnership averages more than four fouls between them per game, so they could be a handful for the defender.

Matt Doherty, then, is my next pick, and his foul stats are really intriguing. The full-back averages three per game, and whilst he has only made five Premier League appearances this season, he could be very involved.

Kevin Schade is expected to face the Irishman, and he gets fouled once per game on average. Doherty could certainly struggle against him. So I'd be very interested in his chances of him being booked.

Tottenham vs. Liverpool

• Pedro Porro (TOT)
• Dominik Szoboszlai (LIV)

This could be a real corker of a game, both in terms of the football and the cards, and two players are 'at risk' of a Christmas suspension: Porro and Szoboszlai.

Starting with the Spaniard, Porro will probably be involved in a really tasty battle against Cody Gakpo this weekend. The Dutchman wins just under two fouls per game, and Porro fouls more than once per game on average. Given he makes just under two tackles per game too, he will certainly get stuck in.

Then, with Mo Salah heading to the African Cup of Nations, Szoboszlai is almost nailed on for a start, but I'm not too fond of his card chances, admittedly. If Destiny Udogie and Joao Palhinha were set to start, it may be different. However, Djed Spence and Archie Gray average fewer than a foul won per game.

For me, Porro is my only fancy in this game.

Everton vs. Arsenal

• James Garner (EVE)

Only one player is at risk of missing Boxing Day here, and it's Garner who'll be the player to watch here.

Saying that, though, the Englishman makes less than one foul per game, and whilst there are a few Arsenal midfielders that can be magnets for fouls, I do not really like his chances here. So, this game is not of interest to me.

Leeds vs. Crystal Palace

• Ethan Ampadu (LEE)
• Jayden Bogle (LEE)

Away from home, Crystal Palace only draw a card per game, so this may be a bit of a risky betting game. Nevertheless, Leeds average two cards per game in the Premier League at Elland Road, so it's not completely dead in the water.

However, I think one player has a better chance than the other, and that is Bogle. The wing-back will face Yeremy Pino, who has drawn more than a foul per game on average and will certainly be a test for him.

He's more than 3/1 at this moment, and that is certainly a tempting price.

Aston Villa vs. Manchester United

• Matty Cash (AVL)
• Boubacar Kamara (AVL)
• Patrick Dorgu (MUN)

I am only going to be looking at the Aston Villa duo for this game, given Dorgu has been on the bench in recent games.

Cash has been booked in the past two games before Boxing Day, and he arrives at this game on four bookings. So, with another, he will be absent for the Christmas fixture. He has made 20 fouls in 16 games this season, and will face Mason Mount, who has won four fouls in his last two games.

I do like Kamara's chance of a card as well, and he should also be tasked with stopping Mount and the general United attack. Whether they will both be carded is a question in itself, but both have a good chance.

Fulham vs. Nottingham Forest

• Neco Williams (NFO)
• Morato (NFO)

The final Premier League game before the Christmas bells is Fulham vs Nottingham Forest on Monday afternoon.

Williams is the only player of interest for me, and he faces an in-form Harry Wilson, who has been electric recently. His fellow Welshman has averaged 1.5 fouls won per game, and he could certainly cause a bit of trouble.

He has often been replaced by Adama Traore, who has won 2.57 fouls per game on average, so if Wilson is substituted off, the risk of a booking does not go. Despite this, I would not be rushing to put him on for a booking.