Birmingham City defender Bright Osayi-Samuel has been handed a one-match suspension by the English Football Association (FA) after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season during Tuesday night’s 1–0 victory over Preston North End in the Sky Bet Championship.
The Super Eagles right-back, who started his first league match since September 30, was booked in the 12th minute for a foul on Preston striker Daniel Jebbison. Under FA disciplinary rules, any player who receives five cautions before matchday nineteen is automatically banned for one game.
The 26-year-old will now miss Birmingham City’s weekend trip to Bristol City, leaving manager Tony Mowbray short of defensive options as the club continues its push for a top-half finish.
Club sources confirmed that Osayi-Samuel was not initially expected to start against Preston but was drafted into the starting XI following Patrick Roberts’ late injury during the warm-up session.
He was substituted early in the second half as a precautionary measure, with the coaching staff managing his workload after a recent recovery from injury.
The former Fenerbahçe and Queens Park Rangers man had previously been cautioned against Ipswich Town, Blackburn Rovers, Stoke City, and Swansea City, bringing his total bookings to five this campaign.
Speaking after the match, a Birmingham insider revealed that the coaching team remains pleased with Osayi-Samuel’s contributions despite the suspension setback.
“Bright has shown professionalism and strong defensive discipline since returning from injury. The yellow cards are part of his aggressive playing style, but we’ll manage it better moving forward,” the source said.
Osayi-Samuel’s absence against Bristol City is expected to open the door for a recall of Ethan Laird, while the Nigerian international will return to action in the club’s next fixture.
Football analysts have suggested that the suspension is unlikely to affect his chances of returning to the Nigeria national team ahead of next month’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying playoff against Gabon, after missing the October international window due to injury.
Known for his pace and versatility, Osayi-Samuel remains one of Nigeria’s most consistent performers in the English Championship this season.
