The Five Most ‘Card Happy’ Referees In The Premier League So Far This Season

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3 years ago

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Referees are often on the receiving end of criticism from both fans and pundits alike. It is a thankless job that has been made even more complicated by VAR.

Each official does tend to have their own style when it comes to refereeing matches, though. Some are more lenient while others blow up for a foul at every conceivable opportunity.

In today’s list, we have decided to look at the most “card happy” referees; the ones who show a yellow or red card to players most often.

Press the next page as we name the referees who have handed out the most cards in the Premier League so far this season.

5) Paul Tierney – 25

Tierney is a rather strange combination when it comes to officiating matches. He averages only 17.43 fouls per match, which is the fourth-lowest among top-flight referees this season.

There are also only three other officials who average fewer fouls per tackle (0.51). However, when Tierney does blow up for an offence, you are more likely to go into the book. He is joint second for yellow cards (25).

4) Peter Bankes – 25

Every fan of a Premier League team needs to take note of Bankes if he officiates one of their club’s matches this campaign. He has only refereed four matches but he has booked 25 players.

Bankes averages 26.25 fouls per game, with only Jarred Gillet and Andy Madley blowing up more often. Expect a stop/start game if he is the man in the middle.

3) David Coote – 25 (Including 1 Red)

Coote is pretty similar to Bankes when it comes to how he referees football matches, although he is isn’t quite as bad when it comes to giving fouls (23.2 per game).

He has also refereed one more match than Bankes so, in that context, he hasn’t been quite as liberal with the yellow card, although he has sent someone off this season. That was West Ham’s Michail Antonio for two bookable offences against Southampton.

2) Craig Pawson – 27 (Including 1 Red)

Pawson has officiated seven matches so far this campaign, so his yellow card numbers may have pushed him a bit higher on this list than he perhaps should be.

However, he is only one of eight Premier League refs who have handed out a red card. That came in the Leeds-Liverpool match when Pascal Struijk’s tackle on Harvey Elliott led to the young midfielder dislocating his ankle.

1) Anthony Taylor – 28 (Including 2 Reds)

Taylor has already been on the receiving end of a petition from Chelsea fans this season, asking him to be taken off their matches following Reece James’ sending off for a handball in the 1-1 draw versus Liverpool.

His other red card came last weekend when he sent off Paul Pogba for a two-footed lunge on Naby Keita. His eight games have also seen him show the most bookings.