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Keane v Vieira was one of the league’s fiercest battlesFor the past two decades or so, supporters of the English Premier League have been treated to plenty of great goals, entertaining matches, and world-class players. One drawback, though, is that the excitement often descends into brutality.The division has played host to many of football’s toughest players, providing a number of iconic dismissals since its 1992 inception.A number of foreign imports have struggled to cope with the physicality through the years and there is no doubt that the Premiership is one of the most demanding of Europe’s e lite leagues.Here is my list of the 10 dirtiest Premier League players ever:
#10 Richard Dunne
Poor old Richard Dunne is the owner of two unwanted Premier League records. Firstly, the QPR defender has conceded more own goals than any other player in Premiership history. Secondly, he has also received the joint most sending offs, which sees him placed in this list of dirtiest players.
Dunne has seen red no fewer than eight times in his Premier League career, in addition to over 70 yellows and counting.
In fairness to the 35-year-old, a lot of those bookings are clumsy rather than malicious. Nevertheless, he deservedly takes a place in this top 10.
#9 Kevin Davies
No player has committed more fouls in Premier League history than former Bolton Wanderers captain Kevin Davies.
The physical presence of Davies made him a real nuisance for opposing defenders and it is worth noting that plenty of fouls were also committed against him. However, with 99 yellow cards to his name, the powerful striker’s name has to be included.
Davis earned a reputation for being overly physical, particularly in the air, and most fans would agree that he is one of the dirtiest of the Premier League era.
#8 Patrick Vieira
Patrick Vieira’s combative style was a key element in Arsenal’s success throughout Arsene Wenger’s early years. However, the French midfielder was more than a little vulnerable to letting his anger boil over, which resulted in a joint record eight dismissals during his Premier League career.
An ongoing war with Manchester United’s Roy Keane provided the backdrop for one of the Premier League’s fiercest rivalries and often provided some of the most brutal scenes of the 1990s.
That tendency to see red was more than compensated for by Vieira’s incredible performances, though, and he is still heralded as one of the Premier League’s all-time greats.
#7 Paul Scholes
With a football at his feet, Manchester United’s ginger magician could do just about anything. Unfortunately, his tackling ability left a lot to be desired.
Rash tackles became the only major downfall in Scholesy’s game and resulted in a total of 97 Premier League for the midfield maestro. He additionally picked up a number of notable cards in cup competitions, including a red card against fierce rivals Manchester City in a crucial FA Cup semi-final.
The ‘Scholes tackle’ became a minor phenomenon in itself, which paints a very clear picture on its own.
#6 Lee Bowyer
Fighting an opposing player is one thing but Lee Bowyer took violence to a new level by brawling with teammate Kieron Dyer in 2005.
That iconic battle resulted in one of five Premier League dismissals for the tough tackling midfielder, who also picked up 99 yellow cards for his troubles. His ill-discipline was partly to blame for only one England cap too.
Bowyer’s reputation as a physical midfielder was first established during his early years at Leeds United, and that reputation followed him throughout the remainder of his Premier League career. He is easily one of the dirtiest to ever grace England’s top flight.
#5 Duncan Ferguson
When it comes to strikers with a notorious ‘hard man’ reputation, they don’t come much bigger than Duncan Ferguson. The beefy Everton striker was a real handful and made no qualms about using his presence throughout his career.
However, that physicality often ensued into disciplinary problems.
Nobody has picked up more Premier League dismissals than Ferguson, who also famously headbutted John McStay in an Old Firm derby during his spell with Rangers, and the former striker definitely merits his place in this list.
#4 Vinnie Jones
An infamous grab on Paul Gascoigne’s genitals in 1998 had secured Vinnie Jones’ place amongst football’s dirtiest players long before the Premier League’s inception, and the future Hollywood star certainly lived up to his reputation during the latter stages of his career.
Jones saw red on six separate occasions in the Premier League, receiving a total of 12 during his career, to cement his place as one of football’s hard men. He additionally holds the record for fastest ever booking after being cautioned just three seconds into a 1992 FA Cup match for previous club Chelsea.
Away from the pitch, his decision to present a video on football’s hard men landed Jones a £20,000 fine from the FA. His image as a tough guy did help launch a highly successful film career, though, so I doubt he’s lost any sleep over it.
#3 Roy Keane
Roy Keane will always be remembered as one of the greatest captains that English football has ever seen. Nonetheless, the former Manchester United skipper has an equally strong reputation as one of the league’s most dirty players.
For the most part, Keane’s ‘no nonsense’ approach garnered plaudits from fans and other players alike. However, his angry side surfaced on a number of occasions, resulting in seven red cards during the Irishman’s Premier League career.
Despite leading the Red Devils to seven Premier League titles, his horror challenge on Alfe Inge Haaland will always be Keane’s most iconic moment in a Manchester United jersey.
#2 Ben Thatcher
If Keane’s foul on Haaland was inexcusable, Ben Thatcher’s on Pedro Mendes is borderline criminal.
A disgraceful elbow to the temple left Mendes hospitalised and is a far more memorable moment than anything Thatcher achieved during his Premier League career. That moment wasn’t punished with a red card, but the defender was still dismissed four times.
Thatcher even faced action for a reckless challenge during a reserve game just six months earlier, cementing his place as one of the worst disciplined players in Premiership history.
#1 El Hadji Diouf
All of the previous entries are players that are hated by opposing fans but adored by their own. In the case of El Hadji Diouf, we have a player loathed by everyone.
The Senegal attacker received just one Premier League red card, but bad challenges were never the crux of his poor discipline. Instead, Diouf became one of the most hated in Britain thanks to a series of spitting incidents – at both fans and other players.
In fact, the chant “he’s gonna spit in a minute” regularly followed Diouf around the country, underlining his position as the Premier League’s dirtiest.
