Proposed Football Blue Card: 7 Premier League Players Most Likely to Enter the Sin Bin

• Radical changes could be coming to football in the near future
• A new trial for sin bins is reportedly set to be announced soon
• The IFAB also intends to introduce the use of new 'blue cards'

A new card is set to be introduced by the International Football Association Board (IFAB) for the first time since the 1970 World Cup when yellow and red cards were brought to the sport.

This proposed new system, according to the lawmaking body, is in an attempt to minimise indiscipline among players, something that has been described as a 'cancer that is killing the game'.

Part of the measures to curb indiscipline by players is the introduction of sin bins, already being used in rugby, which will entail a player receiving a blue card.

The sin bin concept is already being applied at football's grassroots level in England and in other parts of the world, but is yet to be tried in the sport's top tier.

Cristiano Ronaldo's transfer: Is CR7 leaving Manchester United and which clubs are likely to acquire him?

Football

What is the blue card?

If a player is issued a blue card during the game, he must sit out the match in the 'sin bin' for 10 minutes.

According to The Telegraph, the card will deter offences like dissent and cynical tackles. Two blue cards will result in a red card for a player.

With this in mind, Sports Brief used data from the Premier League website on the most booked players this season to predict players who will likely suffer if the sin bin initiative gets to the English top flight.

Players most likely to be blue-carded

1. Bruno Guimaraes, Newcastle United

The Newcastle ace has been booked nine times in the league this season, primarily for malicious tackles. He is the most yellow-carded player this season.

2. Bruno Fernandes, Manchester United

Top 10 strongest football players to ever play the game

Football

Guimaraes’ namesake, Fernandes, is notorious for letting frustration get the best of him during games for Manchester United.

Whether it is the pressures of being captain or simply agitation from his side’s performances, he tends to talk his way into trouble and has been booked seven times in 19 games.

3. Nicolas Jackson, Chelsea

Another firecracker is the Chelsea striker. The 22-year-old Senegalese is quite hot-tempered and is known to make reckless tackles. He has eight bookings in 19 games.

4. Mario Lemina, Wolverhampton Wanderers

The winger is another player who can talk himself into trouble. In February 2023, he was sent off for approaching the referee in anger as his teammate, Joao Moutinho, was protesting.

5. Joao Palhinha, Fulham

The defensive midfielder’s primary job is to be the first line of defence for the back four, and this can be risky as he is bound to make a reckless challenge from time to time. It is no wonder he has nine yellow cards this season.

Chelsea’s transfer news: How much money did Chelsea spend this transfer window?

Football

6. Marc Cucurella, Chelsea

The full-back’s yellow card returns are worrying since he has only played nine times in the league but has earned himself a booking five times.

7. Anthony Gordon, Newcastle United

Gordon is not a football villain by any stretch, but he tends to get himself in trouble with his diving to get his team a penalty.

He is also known to make reckless challenges, something that has earned him eight bookings this season.

Ozil’s cheeky dig at Atletico

Elsewhere, Sports Brief reported on how Mesut Ozil aimed a cheeky dig at Atletico Madrid amid reports of the blue card system.

In light of new developments, he suggested Colchoneros would only have six players on the pitch as a result of being sin-binned.