Manchester United pair Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro will be suspended for the second leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Sevilla if they are booked in the opener on Thursday evening.
United host Sevilla at Old Trafford on Thursday evening as Erik ten Hag continues his fight for major silverware. The arrival of Sevilla will be the fourth of a Spanish side in the competition, following the group stage game against Real Sociedad and knockout meetings with Barcelona and Real Betis.
The La Liga table would suggest that Sevilla are the weakest of the four - they are 16th and have endured a torrid domestic campaign - but the Spanish side hold bags of European experience and will have this competition as their priority, with wins over Fenerbahce and PSV Eindhoven in previous rounds.
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And two United players will need to be particularly careful in the opening leg next week, so as to avoid being absent altogether for a difficult return tie at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium.
Fernandes and Casemiro will both go into Thursday on two yellow cards so far, but a third will result in suspension for the following game. Lisandro Martinez was suspended for the first leg of the play-off tie against Barcelona after picking up three bookings during the group stages.
Fernandes picked up both of his yellow cards during the knockout stages, in the second leg against Barcelona and then the first leg against Betis, while Casemiro's bookings came against old rivals Barca.
Both would be a huge miss for United in what is set to be a difficult second leg in Seville. Ten Hag has become used to adapting to the absence of Casemiro, the Brazilian currently serving a four-game domestic suspension for his second red card of the season, having previously been banned for three matches in February.
United have struggled in midfield without their anchor, but Saturday's win over Everton saw Fernandes deployed in the deeper role and dictating play. His potential absence would be more of an unknown, with the Portuguese man an ever-present in Ten Hag's team - he surpassed the 4,000-minute mark against the Toffees.
Sevilla will have three players walking the same disciplinary tightrope come Thursday, with Jordán, Rafa Mir and Montiel all currently on two yellow cards. Neither side have anyone suspended for the opening leg.
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