Chelsea midfielder on course to be confirmed as Premier League’s dirtiest player for second time in three seasons

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No player has committed more fouls in the Premier League this season than Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher.

The 24-year-old has so far been penalised 82 times in 36 games.

With just one round of fixtures left to play, Gallagher is 18 fouls clear at the top of the naughty list.

Second is currently Wolves midfielder Joao Gomes with 64 fouls, while Nottingham Forest’s Ryan Yates is third on 54.

Nine other players have committed at least 50 fouls, including Tottenham’s Dejan Kulusevski (53), Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister (53) and Bournemouth’s Justin Kluivert (52).

Most fouls committed in the Premier League this season

  1. Conor Gallagher (Chelsea) – 82 fouls
  2. Joao Gomes (Wolves) – 64 fouls
  3. Ryan Yates (Nottingham Forest) – 54 fouls

Gallagher is almost certain to end the season as the Premier League’s unofficial dirtiest player for the second time in three years.

He also topped the charts in 2021/22 with 65 fouls, before the title was shared by Joelinton and Moises Caicedo in 2022/23 (also with 65 fouls each).

Comprehensive Premier League data for fouls only goes back as far as the 2006/07 season.

Since then, the record for most fouls by a single player in a single season is held by former Bolton striker Kevin Davies with 123 in the 2010/11 campaign.

Most fouls recorded by a player in a Premier League season

  1. Kevin Davies – 123 fouls in 2010/11
  2. Kevin Davies – 121 fouls in 2009/10
  3. Kevin Davies – 117 fouls in 2008/09
  4. Marouane Fellaini – 111 fouls in 2008/09
  5. John Carew – 100 fouls in 2007/08

The Premier League has generally become a cleaner competition (on the field at least) in recent years.

No player has reached the 100-foul mark in over a decade.

However, Gallagher’s tally of 82 this season is the highest in a long time, since Grant Holt (also 82) in 2012/13.

Gallagher’s 82 fouls this season have so far earned him seven yellow cards and one red.

Conor Gallagher pictured being shown a red card during Chelsea’s 3-2 win over Brighton in December
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