The Tottenham player face two Premier League suspensions to hand Ange Postecoglou major issue

Ange Postecoglou is facing a tough situation at Tottenham Hotspur as two of his key players, including Rodrigo Bentancur, are walking a fine line for upcoming Premier League matches. Spurs have had an inconsistent start to the season, with impressive wins against Manchester City and Aston Villa, but disappointing defeats to Galatasaray and Ipswich Town. The loss to Ipswich was especially frustrating because it prevented Spurs from climbing into third place in the Premier League before the international break.

Rodrigo Bentancur scored his first goal of the season in the match against Ipswich, a powerful header from Pedro Porro’s corner in the second half. However, Bentancur also picked up a yellow card in the 78th minute after expressing frustration with the referee for penalizing him for a foul. This yellow card was his fourth of the season, and now he is just one booking away from receiving a one-game suspension.

This is a particularly big concern for Bentancur because he is already facing the possibility of a longer suspension due to comments he made about Son Heung-min in a controversial interview during the summer. In September, Bentancur was charged by the FA for breaching Rule E3 for “aggravated” comments, and if the charge is upheld, he could face a ban of six to twelve games. This means that if Bentancur receives another yellow card and gets a suspension for five bookings, he could be out for a total of up to 13 games, depending on the verdict of his FA charge.

Bentancur has been more disciplined in recent months, but his four yellow cards this season are a reminder of the pressure he’s under. After picking up yellow cards in the first three games of the season, he had managed to avoid any bookings for almost two months. However, his outburst against the referee in the Ipswich match has put him back on the edge of suspension.

The rules state that yellow cards are not wiped out until after the 19th game of the season, so Bentancur has eight more matches to play before his yellow card count resets. If he picks up one more booking before that, he will face a one-match suspension. The timing of his FA charge is also crucial. If the charge is resolved before he reaches the 19-game mark, and if it results in a lengthy ban, he could end up missing several matches regardless of his yellow card count.

The situation is made even more complicated by the fact that Bentancur is one of Postecoglou’s most important players. His presence in the midfield is key to Spurs’ style of play, and losing him for a significant period would be a huge blow to the team’s hopes of competing at the top of the Premier League. Postecoglou will be hoping that Bentancur can avoid further disciplinary issues and stay on the pitch for the crucial games ahead.

As things stand, Spurs are in a tough spot, with inconsistency threatening to derail their season. The team needs to find a way to improve their performances, especially in matches they are expected to win. At the same time, Postecoglou has to manage the risk of losing key players to suspensions, whether for yellow cards or potential bans resulting from the FA’s ongoing investigations. Bentancur is not the only player under scrutiny, but his situation is the most urgent at the moment.

Postecoglou will need to keep a close eye on his players’ disciplinary records in the coming weeks. If Bentancur picks up another yellow card, it could create a real headache for the manager. However, the bigger concern remains the possibility of a lengthy ban if the FA decides to take action over Bentancur’s earlier comments. The coming weeks will be crucial for both the player and the club as they try to avoid further setbacks in what has already been an unpredictable season.