West Brom boss Carlos Corberan gives "concentration" reminder ahead of deadline
Albion midfield regular Alex Mowatt has been treading a tightrope for a number of weeks ahead of a threshold on Sunday.
Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
Mowatt, who has started 17 of 18 Championship fixtures so far, has four yellow cards next to his name this term and one more would have resulted in suspension for the influential midfielder.
His fourth caution of the season came more than a month ago, at Blackburn on October 23, and the midfielder has been on the verge of a ban since.
But Mowatt has now made seven appearances without collecting his fifth booking of the campaign - and the cut-off point for a ban for five yellow cards arrives after Sunday's 19th league game of the season, at home to current leaders Sheffield United.
Albion boss Carlos Corberan insists his players are acutely aware, however. He said: "I never say this to the players - the players know this enough.
"The players with yellow cards needs to avoid unnecessary yellow cards, they need to be conscious of this.
"The best way to avoid yellow cards is to be concentrating and be sure you arrive on time."
Albion have already fallen foul of an accumulation of bookings this season as ever-present Darnell Furlong missed his first league fixture in more than two years at Sunderland after five cautions.
It was thought that Mowatt and midfield colleague Jayson Molumby were veering towards a one-match ban themselves, but Molumby - who is managing a groin injury - only has three yellow cards so far this season and not four, as has been reported in some online statistic sources. Albion have no other players on four yellows.
Uros Racic, who started for the first time in more than a month at Preston, would be first reserve if Mowatt collected a fifth booking. Albion's other central midfield option, Ousmane Diakite, has not been involved in the last two games due to pain in his knee.
All of Mowatt's four cautions this term came in a six-game run between late September and late October.
The midfielder started the season in flying form and had three goals to his name by the end of September but, like several Baggies team-mates, has found form tougher to come by in the last couple of months.
