5 players with most fouls drawn in Premier League 2021-22

The Premier League is the richest football league in the world and is widely regarded as the most competitive one too.

Thanks to the competition's allure and pedigree, many top players across positions have graced the English top flight. However, the Premier League is tough for skilled players, whose games are more about finesse than physicality.

Nevertheless, players cope up with a lot of fouls in the competition, regardless of their style of play. On that note, here's a look at the five players who have drawn the most fouls in the 2021-22 Premier League:

#5 Allan Saint-Maximin - 58

Newcastle United vs Brighton & Hove Albion - Premier League

Allan Saint-Maximin has been a solid, if not spectacular, performer for Newcastle United since arriving at Tyneside in the summer of 2019.

After scoring just six times in his first two seasons in the English top flight, the French striker has blossomed this campaign. The 29-year-old has bagged five goals and three assists for the Toons, who are 15th in the league table, nine points clear of the drop zone.

Despite his modest goal contributions, Saint-Maximin has impressed in his team's build-up play.

Interestingly, Newcastle have drawn all five games where Saint-Maximin has scored this season.

#4 Jordan Ayew - 59

Norwich City vs Crystal Palace - Premier League

Jordan Ayew has played nearly 200 games in the English top flight since his competitive debut in 2015-16 with Aston Villa.

Currently, with Crystal Palace (since 2018-19), Ayew has bagged 27 goals and 15 assists in the Premier League. After a nine-goal league campaign in 2019-20, the 30-year-old striker has scored just twice in his last two campaigns in the competition. The Ghanian recently ended a 43-game scoring drought in the English top flight.

Despite his low scoring returns - one goal in 25 games - Ayew has drawn nearly 60 fouls in the ongoing 2021-22 edition of the competition.

#3 Ivan Toney - 67

Norwich City vs Brentford - Premier League

Ivan Toney is having a fine start to life in the English top flight. After going scoreless in his debut campaign in the competition with Newcastle United in 2015-16, the 26-year-old has scored 11 league goals for newly promoted Brentford.

Toney is in a rich vein of form recently, scoring seven in as many league games, including a hat-trick at Norwich and a brace at home to Burnley. The English striker has racked up these numbers despite being fouled over 60 times in the competition.

Toney played a key role in The Bees' promotion to the English top flight last season, bagging 31 Championship goals and ten assists. He also scored twice in three playoff games as Brentford gained promotion to the top tier for the very first time in their history.

#2 John McGinn - 68

John McGinn has been a key performer for Steven Gerrard's Aston Villa team in the English top flight this season.

The midfielder has racked up three goals in each of his three seasons in the Premier League. He has garnered nine goals and ten assists in nearly 100 games in the competition, including three goals and two assists this campaign.

McGinn has been a solid contributor for Villa at both ends, racking up goal contributions and chances at the offensive end and tackles and interceptions at the other.

The 27-year-old hasn't scored in his last 15 games in the English top flight, though, since a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace in November last year.

#1 Wilfred Zaha - 90

Wolverhampton Wanderers vs Crystal Palace - EPL

Wilfried Zaha has been a fabulous performer for Crystal Palace since arriving from Manchester United in the summer of 2014-15.

He has racked up over 250 appearances in the English top flight, most of them for Palace. He has bagged 56 assists (all for Palace) and 27 assists in the competitions. Zaha has scored nine league goals this season, following up an 11-goal 2020-21 campaign.

In 2018-19, the Cote d'Ivoire forward enjoyed a standout campaign in the English top flight, racking up 10 goals and as many assists.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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Edited by Diptanil