Key Man City man could miss huge Arsenal showdown amid ban threat

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Bernardo Silva is one yellow card away from a two-game suspension ahead of this weekend's game with Chelsea.

Manchester City return to Premier League action this weekend with a trip to Chelsea.

The Blues have won the Carabao Cup and reached the FA Cup semi-finals since their last top-flight fixture and will be targeting a win at Stamford Bridge to keep the pressure on long-time leaders and title favourites Arsenal. Pep Guardiola's side begin the weekend nine points adrift of the Gunners but welcome Mikel Arteta's men to the Etihad in a mammoth showdown next weekend.

That fixture will have a significant say on the destination of the title but City could be without skipper Bernardo Silva for the clash. The Blues captain is one yellow card away from a two-game domestic ban and a booking at Chelsea on Sunday would rule him out of the Arsenal clash.

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The Portugal international has been booked nine times this term and players who collect 10 yellow cards in their side's first 32 Premier League matches are hit with a two-game ban.

That means that Silva has to escape a booking for the next two games to avoid a suspension. If he is booked against Chelsea he would miss matches against Arsenal and Burnley, while a yellow against the Gunners would rule him out of the trip to Turf Moor and next month's game at Everton.

He will be able to feature in the FA Cup semi-final against Southampton at Wembley later this month as Premier League yellow cards are not carried over to domestic cups.

City don't have anyone else close to a ban, with Nico Gonzalez and Gianluigi Donnarumma the next highest on yellow cards with six.