Card count is starting to mount

, 5 November, 0comments | Jump to most recent

After the card-weilding antics of Mr Friend at the weekend, some Everton players are surprisngly close to getting a one-match suspension if they pick up more yellow cards before the end of the year. James McCarthy is on four while Ross Barkley and Tim Howard each have picked up three.

McCarthy's first booking of the season actually came on the opening day while playing in Wigan Athletic's 4-0 win over Barnsley. He has subsequently seen yellow in three games for Everton, against Fulham, Aston Villa and now Spurs. A fifth at Crystal Palace means he would miss the derby.

Roberto Martinez isn't unduly fazed by the pre-derby tightrope that McCarthy is walking, though, preferring to concentrate on one game at a time.

"At the moment, we need to take every game step-by-step and the focus now is on Crystal Palace," the manager told evertonfc.com.

"It doesn't matter who you play, you only get rewarded three points for a win and one for a draw and that doesn't change.

"In that respect, we look at preparing for Crystal Palace and not any further than that."

After 31 December, the slate is wiped clean, and the totting-up process begins again for the second half of the season.

Quotes or other material sourced from EvertonFC.com

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