Andy Robertson received a straight red card for denying an obvious goalscoring opportunity against Fulham, ruling him out of Liverpool’s League Cup match against Southampton.
Similarly, manager Arne Slot will serve a one-match touchline ban during the Southampton clash after receiving his third yellow card of the season.
Liverpool will also be without Dominik Szoboszlai for their trip to the London Stadium on Sunday after he picked up his fifth yellow card of the Premier League season during the Boxing Day match against Leicester City.
According to league rules, players who receive five yellow cards within the first 19 games are automatically suspended for one match.
Beyond that, accumulating 10 bookings in 32 matches results in a two-game suspension, while 15 cards at any point lead to a three-match ban.
Historically, Liverpool maintained a strong disciplinary record under Jurgen Klopp, often ranking near the top of the Premier League’s Fair Play table.
However, under Arne Slot, the Reds have received 39 yellow cards and one red, placing them mid-table in the disciplinary standings.
With two more matches before the yellow card amnesty changes, Liverpool face challenges in managing player suspensions.
When they face West Ham without Szoboszlai, several players will need to avoid bookings to remain eligible for the January 5 match against Manchester United at Anfield.
Cody Gakpo, Darwin Nunez, Ryan Gravenberch, and Ibrahima Konate have each received four yellow cards.
Konate, however, is sidelined with an injury and will not feature against West Ham. If he returns for the Manchester United clash, he will also need to avoid another booking to prevent suspension.
Trent Alexander-Arnold, with three yellow cards, is another player at risk of suspension if he is booked in both upcoming games.
After the yellow card amnesty shifts, players such as Szoboszlai and Mac Allister will need to avoid accumulating 10 cards to escape a two-game ban.
Despite the disciplinary concerns, Slot expressed surprise at the number of cards issued to his team, pointing out that Liverpool players rarely commit fouls.
Speaking before the postponed Merseyside derby, he remarked: “These players hardly make any fouls, and Ryan [Gravenberch] is also one card away from suspension, so it’s something we need to monitor closely.”
