Top News

Marc Cucurella could be set for a spell on the sidelines at the end of the year. The Chelsea defender has enjoyed a brilliant start to the season, helping Enzo Maresca's side climb to third place in the Premier League.

He's featured in each of the Blues' first 13 games, starting all but one. In fact, no outfield player at Stamford Bridge has played more minutes than Cucurella in the English top-flight this term, already totalling 1,078 minutes.

The Spain international has established himself as a key member of Maresca's squad, alongside the likes of Joao Pedro, Pedro Neto, Reece James, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Malo Gusto, and Trevoh Chalobah, who each have nearly as many minutes in the tank.

• Chelsea star who has already agreed transfer handed suspension over controversial comments
• Cole Palmer's camp drops Chelsea team news hint in four-word Leeds United message

Unfortunately for Chelsea, they could be without Cucurella at the end of the year. The Spaniard has been shown three yellow cards so far this season, with his most recent coming in the 1-1 draw to Arsenal at the weekend.

If he's issued two more bookings before the clash against Bournemouth at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, December 30, then he must serve a suspension. Premier League rules state that players who receive a total of five yellow cards over the first 19 games are given a one-match ban.

If a player is booked 10 times across the first 32 Premier League matches of the season then they will be suspended for two games. With the Carabao Cup underway, it must be said that yellow cards picked up in the English top-flight are not carried over.

Meanwhile, Estevao Willian, Jorrel Hato, Tyrique George, Andrey Santos, and Benoit Badiashile have all accumulated two cautions. As have Caicedo, Fernandez, James, and Chalobah.

Chelsea are on the brink of missing Cucurella against the likes of Everton, Newacastle United, and Aston Villa, which would be a nightmare in the title race. That said, Maresca has never doubted the Spaniard's ability at the highest level.

Speaking to club media at the end of last month, the Blues boss said: "It is the focus and attention he has for 95 minutes. For defenders you can be good for 94 minutes and then you can drop the attention for one minute and concede something.

"The good thing about Marc is that for 95 minutes he is always focused – apart from Tottenham away [last season] when we conceded two goals in two minutes because of him!" joked Maresca, who added: "Overall Marc has always been top, and he is always thinking how he can defend better."

On the left-back's character, he said: "He is the biggest joker, for sure, one of the characters inside the building, and he has the capacity to switch from laughing and joking to being serious.

"I want all the players to have that mentality. The more players you have like Marc, the better it is."