We all know who has been the best Premier League player over the past five years – Marcus Rashford, obviously – but who has been the dirtiest?
The Telegraph has calculated the 20 biggest thugs using a formula which attributes a point each for a foul, three for a yellow card, and six for a red.
Arsenal are the only team to have been in the top flight for all of the time period not to have a player on this list. That’s where the Gunners are going wrong!
SEE MORE: Arsenal star headed for exit, replacement already lined up
20. Ryan Shawcross (Stoke City)
Games: 156
Disciplinary points: 244
The Potters captain takes no prisoners, and the fans love him for it!
19. Yaya Toure (Manchester City)
Games: 154
Disciplinary points: 245
He is particularly angry when people forget that it is his birthday.
18. Ashley Williams (Swansea City)
Games: 176
Disciplinary points: 248
Swansea’s leader makes the list but has never been sent off in the Premier League.
17. Pablo Zabaleta (Manchester City)
Games: 122
Disciplinary points: 261
The Argentine full-back loves a good tackle, but occasionally gets it wrong.
16. Claudio Yacob (West Bromwich Albion)
Games: 104
Disciplinary points: 261
West Brom’s midfield enforcer is the perfect Tony Pulis player – filthy!
15. Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland)
Games: 149
Disciplinary points: 263
The midfielder is more of a savage Swede than a set-piece specialist these days.
14. Mousa Dembele (Fulham & Tottenham Hotspur)
Games: 146
Disciplinary points: 263
Dembele never fouls. It is just that he is twice as strong as everybody else.
13. Gabriel Agbonlahor (Aston Villa)
Games: 140
Disciplinary points: 265
Villa could have done with Agbonlahor directing his aggression towards goal this season.
12. Lucas Leiva (Liverpool)
Games: 105
Disciplinary points: 273
Lucas actually has a higher disciplinary points per-game ratio than all but three players on this list.
11. Branislav Ivanovic (Chelsea)
Games: 163
Disciplinary points: 274
Ivanovic does not have a poor disciplinary record, but he has played a lot of games.
10. Ramires (Chelsea)
Games: 130
Disciplinary points: 276
We knew there was a reason that a Chinese Premier League club would pay £25m for him!
9. James McCarthy (Wigan Athletic & Everton)
Games: 154
Disciplinary points: 282
McCarthy is an all-action midfielder so it is hardly a surprise to see him make the top 10.
8. Morgan Schneiderlin (Southampton & Manchester United)
Games: 118
Disciplinary points: 289
Only been booked five times for United this season. Come on Morgan, stick your foot in!
7. Lee Cattermole (Sunderland)
Games: 109
Disciplinary points: 302
Admit it, you expected him to be higher! Cattermole would be third if it was on a per-game basis.
6. Craig Gardner (Sunderland & West Bromwich Albion)
Games: 142
Disciplinary points: 303
Sunderland again? The training sessions at the Academy of Light must be like a war zone.
5. Jack Colback (Sunderland & Newcastle United)
Games: 161
Disciplinary points: 303
Substituted in Sunday’s Tyne-Wear derby when he looked like a red card waiting to happen.
4. Charlie Adam (Liverpool & Stoke City)
Games: 132
Disciplinary points: 304
The Scottish pass-master has a proper naughty streak in him. Just ask Gareth Bale.
3. Cheick Tiote (Newcastle United)
Games: 105
Disciplinary points: 341
The only player to average more than three disciplinary points per game in the Telegraph’s table.
2. Gareth Barry (Manchester City & Everton)
Games: 158
Disciplinary points: 367
The Premier League’s most yellow carded player ever is only just kept off top spot.
1. Marouane Fellaini (Everton & Manchester United)
Games: 126
Disciplinary points: 371
So it is settled then, Fellaini is definitely a thug. United’s Belgian battering ram is the dirtiest player in the Premier League over the last five years with 296 fouls conceded, 23 yellow card and one red.
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