A fifth yellow card in the next six games would see the Italian set a record as first goalkeeper to be suspended
Pep Guardiola has said Gianluigi Donnarumma does not need a lecture about discipline because he is “adult enough”, after the goalkeeper drew close to a suspension with his fourth booking of the season at the weekend.
Donnarumma has collected four yellow cards in his first 10 league appearances since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain in the summer.
Three of those bookings were for dissent, with the fourth issued for time-wasting during City’s 3-2 win over Leeds United on Saturday.
Another booking in any of City’s next six matches would trigger a one-game ban, a punishment no goalkeeper has ever received at this stage of a Premier League season.
Asked whether he planned to speak to Donnarumma, Guardiola said: “No, he is adult enough. For sure, he will step-by-step understand things in the league and new behaviours.”
Twelve goalkeepers in Premier League record have finished the season with five or more bookings, but none has received up to five within the opening 19 matches, which would trigger an automatic suspension.
Donnarumma’s rapid accumulation has therefore attracted attention. The Italian also attracted further attention on Saturday after Leeds manager Daniel Farke criticised him for faking discomfort.
Farke suggested the goalkeeper went to ground pretending to have a problem, so that Guardiola could pass on instructions to his players while Leeds were mounting a comeback. Leeds nevertheless equalised after Donnarumma went down, although City eventually won with a late winner from Phil Foden.
