The phrase ‘many happy returns’ is usually reserved for birthdays, but it’s not a birthday card we’re expecting the referee to hand out to Marc Cucurella when he makes a return to the AMEX on Saturday.

The left back has established himself as one of Europe’s leading left backs since leaving the Seagulls. After overcoming a shaky first season at Stamford Bridge, he’s now one of Enzo Maresca’s most trusted lieutenants and will start this game if fit to do so, which there doesn’t appear to be any question over.

Cucurella has picked up cards in his last two appearances, at Old Trafford last weekend, and as a sub in the Carabao Cup in midweek at Lincoln.

You may remember from last weekend, Brighton’s opponents are the most carded in the league, and that remains the same going into this weekend. The opposition left back and left centre back have both seen two cards shown to them when facing the Seagulls, which makes Cucurella the obvious choice here, even without his Brighton connection. Cucurella is averaging 1.8 fouls per 90 so far this season.

Liverpool travel to Selhurst Park on Saturday with the hopes of keeping their 100% record on track. It could be their toughest test so far, with Palace having beaten them on penalties in the Community Shield last month, and generally proving tough opposition to crack, also unbeaten in the league so far.

An interesting quirk is that three opposition strikers have been carded against Liverpool so far this season; Evanilson of Bournemouth, Anthony Gordon when starting through the middle for Newcastle and Viktor Gyokeres for Arsenal. Two of those were for sliding challenges on Virgil van Dijk. 

They were all registered by teams who went after Liverpool, rather than sit back like Burnley and Everton did, and I think Palace are likely to be aggressive. Jean-Phillippe Mateta is, therefore ,my pick here, who already has three cards to his name this season in all competitions, which is as many as he was shown in the whole of last season.

Scorer of an unfortunate late own goal against Fulham a few weeks ago, it has been an eventful start to life at Leeds for the Swedish left back. He joined from Lille in the summer, having made 30 appearances last term.

Bournemouth’s opponents have mostly picked up cards on the left-hand side of the pitch, with left back, left centre back and left central midfield accounting for six of the 10 cards picked up via fouls. 

Gudmundsson is, therefore, the player I have opted for, likely to have a tricky afternoon up against Antoine Semenyo. He picked up a yellow card against Arsenal earlier in the season.