A football season is often split into heroes and villains, and this term is shaping out to be no different.
Whether they’re tough tacklers, pantomime bad guys, or just players operating above their station, the Premier League is rarely ever without players that fans love to hate.
Below is a list of the ten dirtiest players this season so far, based on how many fouls they have committed.
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10. Nemanja Matic – Chelsea
Fouls committed: 21
The Chelsea midfielder has slowly been getting back to his best in recent weeks, but the side’s poor performances have seen him being overrun time and again and the big Serb has been losing his patience.
9. Danny Drinkwater – Leicester City
Fouls committed – 21
Somewhat of an unsung hero in the Foxes climb up the table, but due to his combative nature he often gets pulled up on fouls as he looks to break down the opposition’s attacks.
8. Dele Alli – Tottenham Hotspur
Fouls committed – 22
Alli may be English football’s new golden boy, but his eagerness to impress has seen him chalk up an eye watering 22 fouls in just eight starts and three substitute appearances.
7. Alexander Tettey – Norwich City
Fouls committed – 22
The Norwegian defensive midfielder frequently patrols the area in front of the back four, but like Drinkwater above him picks up more could than he’d like. Tettey is also the Premier League’s most booked player so far with six yellows to his name.
6. Morgan Schneiderlin – Manchester United
Fouls committed – 23
Schneiderlin may have given the Red Devils more of a solid base in the middle of the park, but has frequently run into trouble when breaking up opposition play.
5. Idrissa Gueye – Aston Villa
Fouls committed – 24
The energetic Senegalese midfielder has certainly added a little more bite to Villa’s midfield, but in doing so has given away more fouls than his employers would like.
4. James Milner – Liverpool
Fouls committed – 24
Milner may have run further than anyone else in the league, and may be one it it’s most creative players, but he is also one of the dirtiest, picking up five yellow cards so far.
3. Erik Lamela – Tottenham Hotspur
Fouls committed – 24
Lamela still hasn’t truly found his feet in the Premier League, and though he too is one of the league’s top creators, he’s also one of the dirtiest.
2. Lucas Leiva – Liverpool
Fouls committed – 28
Lucas is the league’s top tackler, but with that he has become the second dirtiest in the process and has notched up four yellow cards to go with it.
1. Etienne Capoue – Watford
Fouls committed – 29
A box-to-box midfielder that is always in the heart of the action, Capoue is beginning to look like the player that initially attracted Tottenham to his signature. However, he is sadly the league’s dirtiest player so far.
(Source: Daily Telegraph)