The five dirtiest Premier League players this season
By Ryan Willox
The Premier League is renowned as one of the most physical and tough divisions in football.
No doubt some of the top flights in South America, or even the Bundesliga, might disagree but physicality is often touted as one of the top traits in England’s leading division.
How often do you hear pundits and former players blast some foreign recruit or incoming top-level talent because they won’t be able to handle the rough and tumble of the Premier League?
The old adage about a player looking great, but how will they handle a wet Tuesday night in Stoke? is regularly bandied about.
So, in the midst of an international break, about a quarter of the way through the campaign, it’s time to look at the tough guys.
Who are the players giving as good as they get? Who are the enforcers, the hard men and the no-nonsense ‘kick ’em first and ask questions later’ brigade.
Using a formula that takes into account a mixture of fouls committed, minutes played and cards accumulated, here are the Premier League’s five dirtiest players so far.