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The Tottenham star already facing suspension risk ahead of North London Derby vs Arsenal

Rodrigo Bentancur brings Anthony Gordon down during the Newcastle vs Tottenham clash at St James' Park
-Credit: (Image: PA)


Tottenham are already staring down the barrel of a potential suspension risk, just three games into the new Premier League season.

Spurs have started the season well, although results have not entirely gone their way for the impressive football they have played. The Lilywhites dominated the first half against Leicester City on the opening day, but could only come home with a 1-1 draw.

They did similarly throughout the match against Everton, and this time things went entirely to plan, winning 4-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. But it was a tale similar to the one at the King Power Stadium, when they went to St James' Park, dominating for large periods against Newcastle, but going down to a 2-1 defeat.

It leaves Spurs with four points from the first three games, when their performances could easily have garnered a full nine. Next up is the North London Derby at home to Arsenal - always one of the most anticipated fixtures of the season.

And heading into that clash at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, head coach Ange Postecoglou may already be worrying about a potential suspension risk. All of the talk in the build-up to the match has been around Declan Rice and his absence from the game in N17.

Rice was shown the first red card of his career in the 1-1 draw with Brighton before the international break, in controversial circumstances. The England international nudged the ball away from Joel Veltman as he went to take a quick free-kick and was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away.

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Tottenham do not have anyone suspended for the contest, but could run into trouble with a suspension in the coming weeks. That is because midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur is already walking something of a suspension tightrope.

Just three games into the season, the Uruguayan has already picked up two yellow cards. Premier League players who pick up five yellow cards in the first half of the season will be suspended for one game, and Bentancur is already almost halfway to that mark.

The North London Derby is always a full-blooded contest and Bentancur is a no-nonsense player at times when it comes to making tackles. With Spurs facing Brentford, Manchester United and Brighton in the weeks after the Arsenal clash, Bentancur could be missing a match very soon.