AliousEverton Sweat Over THREE Potential Absentees vs Nottingham Forest as Premier League Rules Bite
Everton could head into their crucial showdown with Nottingham Forest facing a major selection headache, with **three players at risk of missing out due to Premier League disciplinary rules.
David Moyes may have thought momentum was building after strong victories over Fulham and Manchester United, but the painful home defeat to Newcastle United has dragged the Toffees back into a difficult reality. With one of the smallest squads in the league, any injury or suspension hits Everton harder than most, and that was evident again at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Although the injury situation is gradually easing, Idrissa Gueye’s suspension has already left a noticeable gap, especially as stand-in Tim Iroegbunam struggled — playing a part in two Newcastle goals before being withdrawn at half-time. Despite the disappointing display, Moyes can’t afford to lose the young midfielder as he now finds himself walking a disciplinary tightrope, along with another key starter.
According to Premier League rules, players who accumulate 5, 10, 15, or 20 yellow cards in league matches face automatic bans. Cup competition bookings do not affect league availability. Currently:
Tim Iroegbunam – 4 yellow cards
James Garner – 4 yellow cards
One more booking for either midfielder before Everton complete their 19th league match would mean an immediate suspension. Only after the 19th game does the threshold jump to 10 bookings.
This comes at the worst possible time for Everton, who are already stretched. With Gueye suspended, and **Seamus Coleman, Nathan Patterson, and Merlin all unavailable, Moyes is short of options both in midfield and at right-back. Forest, meanwhile, have just one player in the danger zone: Neco Williams, who is also one caution away from a ban as their trip to Liverpool approaches.
Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Moyes expressed cautious optimism the team could recapture their earlier form while acknowledging the strain on his squad.
> “We’re looking okay,” he told the club’s media. “We had a couple of players carrying injuries from the midweek game, but they pushed through it. On another day with more depth, we might have rotated, but there are no excuses.”
He confirmed none of the four injured players will return in time for the match, noting the absence of Merlin in midfield, Coleman’s missing cover at right-back, and further limitations at centre-back due to Jarrad’s absence.
With the table still tight, a win would allow Everton to start glancing toward the European places**, but a loss would turn the Forest fixture into a high-stakes, six-pointer clash as both sides try to escape the danger zone.
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