West Ham and Chelsea stars at risk of two-game ban ahead of Manchester United, Newcastle & Aston Villa clashes

West Ham and Chelsea are on the verge of losing Edson Alvarez and Nicolas Jackson through suspension in the coming weeks.

Both players have accumulated nine yellow cards and are walking a tightrope from now until next month. Premier League rules state that those on 10 bookings before and including the 32nd fixture will receive a two-game ban.

As it stands, West Ham have five games to go before hitting that tally, with Chelsea six away due to their Carabao Cup final obligations. Alvarez has proven pivotal in filling the void left by Declan Rice’s big-money exit last summer.

The Hammers are chasing another European finish - an achievement that would ensure their fourth consecutive continental campaign. They also take on Freiburg in the Europa League tonight, although booking in UEFA competitions are not taken into account domestically. If Alvarez is booked against Burnley on Sunday, he will be suspended for key games with Aston Villa and Newcastle United.

For Chelsea, their focus has switched to reigniting hopes for a European place - a goal that diminishes with each passing week. Mauricio Pochettino’s men sit six points behind West Ham in sixth as they continue to struggle for Premier League consistency.

Jackson must be careful to avoid a booking against Newcastle United on Monday, which could rule him out of league meetings with Burnley and Manchester United. The Blues also have an FA Cup quarter final with Leicester City but yellow card suspensions do not carry over into other competitions.

While Jackson has struggled for goals, nine yellow cards shows there has been an endeavour to put himself about for the team. Chelsea fans have been used to physically strong strikers like Didier Drogba and Diego Costa over the years but the jury remains out on the 22-year-old.