The 5 Players Who Have Made The Most Fouls In The Premier League So Far This Season

David Tully

6 months ago

Categories: Galleries, West Ham United News

Tags: Arsenal, aston villa, Brentford, Brighton, Chelsea, Everton, Fulham, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Sheffield United, Southampton, Spurs, West Ham, Wolves

Fouls are all part of the game, but there are players who are more prone than others to getting into trouble with officials.

Usually holding midfielders and centre-backs are the ones who commit the most offences, mainly due to their role in their teams.

In our list today, you may be surprised to learn that there is only one defender in our top five.

Press the next page as we count down the most prolific foulers in the Premier League this season.

5) Lucas Paqueta (West Ham) – 21

There were actually 5 players level on 21 fouls, including Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister, Crystal Palace’s Jordan Ayew, Luton’s Marvelous Nakamba, Aston Villa’s Boubacar Kamara and the Brazilian.

However, Paqueta has played the fewest amount of minutes so we decided that the West Ham star should make our top 5.

Considering he is known mostly as a creative player, the 26-year-old is not afraid to stick the boot in if required.

In addition to his 21 fouls, he has managed to pick up 5 yellow cards as well.

=2) Destiny Udogie (Tottenham) – 22

Call it youthful exuberance, but the Italian has certainly not shied away from making tackles since arriving from Udinese in the summer.

That enthusiasm for diving in, though, didn’t do Udogie any favours against Chelsea, as he was sent off for two bookable offences.

Some, including Gary Neville, felt that he could have been given a straight red in that match for a two-footed lunge, but he did eventually get his marching orders in the second half of the 4-1 home defeat.

Udogie is only 20 years of age, so you do expect him to learn and become more precise in his tackling.

=2) Joao Gomes (Wolves) – 22

The Brazilian arrived in English football from Flamengo at the start of this year, but it is fair to say that his time at Wolves has been characterised by the number of fouls and yellow cards he has picked up.

Gomes has only played 23 times for the Midlands club, but he has been booked on 9 occasions already, averaging a card every 2.5 matches.

Some of that can be attributed to him getting used to the pace of the Premier League. It’s a big step up from the level he was used to in Brazil.

Manager Gary O’Neil seems to trust him, though, having selected him to start in all but 2 league games this campaign.

=2) Abdoulaye Doucoure (Everton) – 22

The Malian international has had a late career renaissance under the management of Sean Dyche.

Doucoure was all set to leave Goodison Park, having been frozen out by previous head coach Frank Lampard, but he has been in impressive form this season.

The 30-year-old has racked up 4 goals in the Premier League already. It is not entirely surprising, considering he has often played as a support striker.

However, Doucoure has been getting into trouble with the referees as well, having been tasked by Dyche to press defenders and win the ball back as high up the pitch as possible.

1) Conor Gallagher (Chelsea) – 26

The 23-year-old has started every Premier League game for the Blues since Mauricio Pochettino’s arrival at the club in the summer.

Gallagher is the man tasked with leading the press, and that means he does step over the mark when pressuring his opponents quite often.

Interestingly enough, though, the England international has only managed to pick up one yellow card in 12 matches.

That suggests that Gallagher is rarely making crunching tackles, but he is giving away those small, niggly fouls that break up play.