The Cards Column Tips: MD3 Player Cards, Team Bookings and Referee Data

The Cards Column is back to bring you the latest referee appointments, data, and best bets from within the card markets for the upcoming round of matches across the Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two.

In the data sheets, you’ll see who’s in charge of what match, the number of times they’ve hit 40+ booking points, and how often that translates into two cards for each team. If you’re a regular to cards betting, you know there can be some hefty splits.

Last week’s action saw an average of 4.9 cards per game, in keeping with the 4.8 set across the previous full set of weekend fixtures.

• Preston vs Swansea: Kian Best To Be Booked
• Millwall vs Stoke: Daniel Johnson To Be Booked
• Newcastle vs Liverpool: Over 0 Newcastle first-half cards & Over 2 Newcastle match cards

Odds via bet365 as at 21:30, Wednesday, August 23rd 2023. Odds may now differ.

The Data from the Premier League and the Championship: Team Bookings and Referee Data

There were plenty of red cards across the leagues last week, with five players receiving their marching orders in the top flight and six more across the EFL.

One notable thing in the Premier League was that nine of the ten games saw two or more first-half cards, showing the clampdown from officials right from the first whistle.

After missing the stonewall Wolves penalty as the VAR on MD1, Michael Salisbury has his first Premier League middle of the season – he’s at Turf Moor as Burnley host Aston Villa.

Rob Jones gets the weekend’s action underway on Friday night as Luton takes on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. He’s shown 11 yellows in two outings, with splits of 1-4 and 1-5, so Luton watch out!

In the Championship, John Busby takes charge of Birmingham vs Plymouth. His two matches have seen 115 and 40 booking points – the first at this level on the opening day as Stoke beat 10-man Rotherham 4-1 after Cafu’s second-half dismissal.

The Data from League One and League Two: Team Bookings and Referee Data

There was a rarity last weekend as Will Finnie kept his powder dry, booking zero players in Grimsby vs Mansfield. Finnie takes charge of Reading’s trip to Exeter on Saturday.

Elsewhere, Select Group 2 referee Stephen Martin and National List official Paul Howard take charge of their first games of the season.

Notts County fans might be nervous to see Thomas Parsons in charge of their game against Tranmere. The Magpies have had a player dismissed in one league game, as well as the EFL Cup, while Parsons has shown a red card in both of his league matches.

One more to note is Martin Coy, who has shown 20 cards in three games. Those trio have seen him hit 100 booking points and 50 twice. Could that mean cards at Sincil Bank as Blackpool visits Lincoln?

Preston vs Swansea: Kian’s a fouler

England, Championship, Saturday, August 26th, 15:00 (UK)

Preston have made an unbeaten start to their Championship campaign (W2 D1) and welcome winless Swansea (D2 L1) to Deepdale on Saturday. I’m keen to take a player bet for a card here, and that man is Lilywhites left wing-back Kian Best.

The youngster has committed eight fouls in three outings in the second tier but is yet to see a card. His trio of Championship matches have seen him foul two, three and three times. While in the EFL Cup against Salford, he overstepped the mark twice and saw yellow.

In the league, his eight fouls see him rank joint third for fouls committed, with only Lee Gregory (12) and Nathan Tella (9) having more – and they’ve both been booked twice.

Last weekend saw Coventry’s left centre-half Joel Latibeaudiere carded against Swansea. While the Swans tend to mount attacks down their right, with 40% coming down that flank, meaning left-sided opposition players are generally busy defensively.

Josh Smith is the referee. He was decent for cards last season but has only dished out 11 in his three league games. However, six of those 11 have gone the way of home players, so with Best’s foul numbers and the way Swansea attack, Smith could add to that tally with the Preston defender.

• Selection: Kian Best to be booked
• Best Odds: 4.50
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 5/10

Daniel Johnson to be booked: DJ to rock The Den

England, Championship, Saturday, August 26th, 15:00 (UK)

Pressure is mounting on Gary Rowett from the Millwall faithful, and he won’t want to see old employers Stoke City roll into The Den, with the vocal away support likely to tell him about the quality of his football.

But one man in the Potters ranks takes the eye to see a card, and that’s summer signing Daniel Johnson. The Jamaican international has been booked in two of three league games.

In MW1, he saw yellow for delaying the restart against Rotherham. Then last weekend, in the win over Watford, he was booked for a poor tackle – only to dive into another sliding challenge for which the referee let him off the hook.

Like Kian Best above, Johnson has committed eight fouls this term, so sits joint-third in the fouls charts, and I’ve been surprised by how stuck in he gets in games. And a trip to The Den is usually a war of attrition, so cards could be the way to go here, especially with Stoke topping the foul charts.

David Webb is in charge and made a slow start on MD1 by booking just one player. However, his last two games have seen five and six cards, so he’s been reaching for his cards more often – something he wasn’t known to do last season.

If this is a midfield battle, then expect those in the engine room to be in the thick of the action. Middlesbrough’s Jonny Howson was booked against the Lions in MW1, while Bristol City’s CM Joe Williams was carded at The Den in MW2. So, DJ could be the villain who rocks The Den with a few fouls on Saturday.

• Selection: Daniel Johnson to be booked
• Best Odds: 3.75
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 5/10

Newcastle vs Liverpool: Toon to stay top of the charts

England, Premier League, Sunday, August 27th, 16:30 (UK)

Newcastle will look to bounce back from defeat at Man City when they welcome Liverpool to St. James’ Park on Sunday afternoon. But I’m expecting the Toon to continue the trend of their opening two games – cards.

In the Premier League, Newcastle tops the yellow card charts with nine after their first two games. They picked up four against Aston Villa and five more at the defending champions last Saturday night.

Eddie Howe saw Sven Botman booked in first-half stoppage-time in MW1 before three more players entered the referee’s notebook in the second half. While at Man City, Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali were booked before the break.

So, I’m following that trend by taking the Magpies to see at least one card in the first half and for them to get 3+ in the match at 2.1 with Bet365.

This angle has landed for Liverpool’s opponents in both games, with Chelsea picking up two cards in the opening 45 minutes before finishing with three. While Bournemouth picked up three in the first half, which would have seen this bet land inside 35 minutes in MW2.

I’m keen to add that referee John Brooks isn’t shy to show his cards. He took charge of West Ham vs Chelsea last weekend, where he showed five first-half yellows.

In fact, last weekend saw nine of the 10 Premier League games have multiple cards before half-time, showing the clear nature of referees trying to set their stalls out early with the new directives.

• Selection: Over 0 Newcastle first-half cards & Over 2 Newcastle match cards
• Best Odds: 2.10
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 8/10

RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING

At bettingexpert, we always take a responsible approach to gambling. We’ll never bet more than we can afford or chase losses. For more advice, head to our Responsible Gambling hub.