Issa Diop is teetering on a suspension knife edge this weekend as he on the verge of picking up a suspension ahead of the visit of Spurs to West Ham on Saturday lunchtime.
Diop picked up his fourth booking of the season in the 3-2 defeat to Newcastle United in Stratford a fortnight ago after he brought down a rampaging Miguel Almiron to concede a free kick.
The subsequent set piece was played in by Jonjo Shelvey, headed back across goal by Joelinton and Ciaran Clark powered past Roberto to give the Toon the lead.
The French defender got through the 3-0 defeat to Burnley last time out without getting booked but he's still walking the tightrope ahead of the London Derby with bitter rivals Spurs this weekend.
Any player who earns five bookings from his side's first 19 Premier League matches of the season will have to serve a one-match ban.
If Diop picks up a yellow card against Maurico Pochettino's men this weekend then it would rule him out of the trip to Chelsea next Saturday and force Manuel Pellegrini to tinker with his backline.
Diop has been the only real mainstay of the defence so far this season having started in every Premier League game and has had both Angelo Ogbonna and Fabian Balbuena alongside him at centre back on different ocassions.
For the past three games it has been Balbuena but the duo have failed to replicate their form of last season and this campaign, Diop has looked much better alongside Ogbonna.
But the Italian was dropped for the visit of Sheffield United in favour of Balbuena and hasn't been since though there are plenty of calls for him to be re-instated this weekend instead of his Paraguayan teammate.
But Diop's absence would be a huge blow, especially against a free-scoring Chelsea outfit, should the defender pick up a booking this weekend when under-fire Pochettino brings his side to E20.
He picked up yellow cards in three consecutive games against Everton, Sheffield United and Newcastle, adding to another picking earlier this season in the draw at Bournemouth.
Should Diop be suspended then it will be a headache for the manager as the Frenchman has played every minute in the Premier League so far this campaign.
