A suspension threat has now been lifted on three Everton players after the trio went into the Blues’ first fixture of 2025 at Bournemouth walking a disciplinary tightrope that threatened their participation in the home game with Aston Villa on January 15.

Players who accumulate five yellow cards in the team’s Premier League fixtures over the first half of the season, automatically pick up a one-game ban.

After their yellow cards against Nottingham Forest, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford (also cautioned against Crystal Palace, Arsenal and Chelsea) and captain James Tarkowski (also cautioned against Brighton & Hove Albion; Fulham and Southampton), joined another centre-back Michael Keane, who hasn’t featured since the 1-0 defeat at Southampton on November 2 (having been cautioned against Bournemouth at home; Leicester City; Ipswich Town and Southampton) on four for the campaign. Keane remained on the bench for the 1-0 defeat at the Vitality Stadium but although Jarrad Branthwaite and Abdoulaye Doucoure each had their name taken in Dorset by referee John Brooks, Pickford and Tarkowski both came through the 90 minutes without further punishment.

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With Everton having now reached 19 games, the threat of a one-match ban for five accumulated bookings has now been removed. However, the slate is not wiped clean in terms of the yellow cards already picked up and if any player reaches 10 in Everton’s first 32 matches, then they will incur a two-game suspension.