Isn’t there a reason it’s called the “beautiful game”? Football is generally played with complexity and a keen eye for detail, but occasionally, particularly in the Premier League’s fast-paced environment, this ever-increasing trend is broken.
The English Premier League is now at the halfway point of this season, and things are starting to get a little more intense. It’s becoming hotter, whether it’s because a relegation war is imminent or the top four credentials are up for grabs.
More fouls have been committed as a result, but which of the 20 teams competing in England’s top division has been the dirtiest? These are the dirtiest teams in order, based on data from StatMuse and the Premier League’s official database.
20-11
Because of their reputation for allowing their style of play speak for itself, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City is the Premier League’s least cynical team when it comes to fouling. With 175 so far, they are only slightly behind Brentford (183).
Despite having Joelinton, a midfielder who has committed the fourth-highest number of fouls this season, on their roster, Newcastle United is currently in 18th place overall with 246 fouls, only eight fewer than high-flying Nottingham Forest.
As of this writing, Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur are only three points apart in the Premier League standings, and it appears that they are using a similar strategy. Spurs have committed three more fouls this season and are once again separated by the narrowest of margins.
Both Fulham (263 fouls) and Premier League underdog Leicester City (267) are operating in relative silence and have made an effort to maintain their concentration on playing football rather than focusing on the negative aspects of the beautiful game.
It appears that Manchester United has not resorted to the dark arts phenomenon in response to their disorganized campaign under Erik ten Hag and, more recently, under Ruben Amorim. They are one less than Arsenal in terms of fouls committed (268).
Premier League Teams Ordered by Their Level of Dirtiness from 2024–2025 to 2011
Rank
Group
Fouls
20.
City of Manchester
175
19.
Brentford
183
18.
Newcastle United
246
17.
Forest of Nottingham
254
16.
The Crystal Palace
260
15.
Tottenham Hotspur
263
14.
Fulham
263
13.
City of Leicester
267
12.
United Manchester
268
11.
The Arsenal
269
10Everton
2024/25 fouls: 277
Everton has undergone a lot of upheaval this season, particularly in the run-up to its relocation from Goodison Park to Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium. They are narrowly above the relegation zone, David Moyes has returned, and Sean Dyche’s tenure as the dugout is over. Additionally, their tenacious nature has not gone unnoticed, particularly under Dyche.
They have committed more fouls than any other Premier League club this season, with midfielders Abdoulaye Doucoure (36) and Idrissa Gueye (34) accounting for the majority of their infractions. It’s unclear if it will help them stay up, but line leader Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who has a total of 27, also doesn’t mind getting stuck in.
Everton’s Top-Fouling Players for 2024–2025
Rank
The player
The quantity of fouls
1.
Doucoure Abdoulaye
36
2.
Gueye Idrissa
34
3.
Calvert-Lewin, Dominic
27
9West Ham United
2024/25 fouls: 281
After Julen Lopetegui left West Ham United, seasoned manager Graham Potter was invited back to help stabilize the team. Between now and the end of the season, the former Chelsea and Brighton manager will need to rely on a hard-hitting style of play because staying up is now the main goal.
Both Edson Alvarez and Tomas Soucek have been available when it comes to tactical fouling, as anticipated; since the 2024–25 season began in August, they have committed 31 and 29 fouls, respectively. This season, the East Londoners are still willing to fight on the field, as they have always done.
Top-Fouling Players for West Ham United in 2024–2025
Rank
The player
The quantity of fouls
1.
Paqueta Lucas
32
2.
Soucek Tomas
31
3.
Alvarez Edson
29
8Ipswich Town
2024/25 fouls: 281
If Kieran McKenna’s Ipswich Town, who were compared to Rob Edwards’ Luton Town on 23/24, manage to escape relegation, it will probably depend on the actions of striker Liam Delap, who has been linked to leaving. In his 23 Premier League games so far, the English sensation has scored nine goals but also racked up a number of fouls due to his ability to run down.
He is the Tractor Boys’ top fouler overall with 49. The young talisman is followed by Sam Morsy (37), Leif Davis (23), and the three will be crucial to McKenna’s quest for Premier League safety, provided they are mostly kept in check. But the secret to staying at the top of the English game is that extra crunch, which frequently results in fouls.
Top-Fouling Players for Ipswich Town in 2024–2025
Rank
The player
The quantity of fouls
1.
Delap, Liam
49
2.
Morsy, Sam
37
3.
Davis, Leif
23
7Chelsea
2024/25 fouls: 281
In the early years of Enzo Maresca’s stint as Chelsea’s manager, a true championship contender appeared likely to be on the verge of securing Champions League football for the upcoming season. The west Londoners’ form has somewhat declined as they are unable to maintain their impressive run. But they have always been hungry, no matter where they are.
The Italian, a former Leicester player, won’t mind if the top four is the goal, even though it frequently leads to fouls being handed away. The Premier League’s second-highest number of fouls this season has been committed by midfield enforcer Moises Caicedo (50), with Marc Cucurella and Enzo Fernandez not far behind.
Chelsea’s Top-Fouling Players for 2024–2025
Rank
The player
The quantity of fouls
1.
Caicedo Moises
50
2.
Fernandez, Enzo
30
3.
Cucurella Marc
24
6Liverpool
2024/25 fouls: 284
It makes sense that Liverpool supporters were concerned about the time after Jurgen Klopp. In addition to allaying fears, Arne Slot has them operating at full capacity right now, leading the Premier League standings at the first attempt. The Dutch tactician has successfully balanced playing and interfering with the flow of play.
Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch, who is considered to be among the top midfielders in the world of football, have performed admirably in patrolling the engine room, which has occasionally led to fouls. They have each committed 33 and 45 fouls, while Luis Diaz, who has proven to be a formidable defenseman, has already committed 37 fouls.
Liverpool’s Top-Fouling Players for 2024–2025
Rank
The player
The quantity of fouls
1.
Allister, Alexis Mac
45
2.
Diaz Luis
37
3.
Gravenberch, Ryan
33
5Brighton & Hove Albion
2024/25 fouls: 285
Brighton & Hove Albion has generally received recognition for their meticulous hiring practices. Their successful behind-the-scenes method has produced a large number of their players, all of whom must be familiar with the fundamentals of football, including how to pass out from the back.
Part of that involves playing with the front foot and occasionally committing fouls. Although Kaoru Mitoma, Georginio Rutter, and Yasin Ayari (as seen below) all contribute to a top half finish, boss Fabian Hurzeler and his team are currently positioned squarely in the center of the table.
The Top-Fouling Players at Brighton & Hove Albion in 2024–2025
Rank
The player
The quantity of fouls
1.
Mitoma Kaoru
29
2.
Rutter, Georginio
27
3.
Ayari Yasin
26
4Aston Villa
2024/25 fouls: 286
It’s no secret that under Unai Emery’s leadership, Aston Villa has changed from being top tier contenders to frequent contenders for Champions League positions. However, despite the Spaniard’s heritage, his team’s style of play is far from glamorous.
Despite being technically sound and a great dribbler, Morgan Rogers is Emery’s first choice when searching for players who can handle the high-stakes environment of English football. To far, he has committed 38 fouls. Together, Aston Villa has committed 286 fouls, and Belgian midfielders Youri Tielemans and Amadou Onana have contributed to that total.
Top-Fouling Players for Aston Villa in 2024–2025
Rank
The player
The quantity of fouls
1.
Morgan Rogers
38
2.
Tielemans, Youri
32
3.
Onana Amadou
24
3Southampton
2024/25 fouls: 298
Southampton is fighting for their lives. Ivan Juric, the guy in command of the south coast side, has not performed well under Russell Martin’s leadership. However, as shown by their position at the bottom of the table, their glaring lack of Premier League-caliber players is making it an extremely difficult challenge for the Croatian manager.
In an effort to maintain their Premier League standing, players including midfielders Flynn Downes and Mateus Fernandes, as well as Jan Bednarek, are working around the clock. The former adds to their team total of 298 and is their highest fouling asset (37).
Southampton’s Most Dangerous Players for 2024–2025
Rank
The player
The quantity of fouls
1.
Downes, Flynn
37
2.
Fernandes, Mateus
29
3.
Bednarek, Jan
26
2Bournemouth
2024/25 fouls: 321
After first finding it difficult to adjust to English football, veteran Rayo Vallecano tactician Andoni Iraola has made a comeback down in the Bournemouth dugout. Every week, the Spaniard’s team has surprised teams all across the country with their aggressive style of play, which has usually resulted in the Cherries receiving a lot of fouls (321, to be exact).
One of the hardest to play against is Bournemouth’s engine room, which has players like the tenacious Lewis Cook and the vivacious Ryan Christie. Antoine Semenyo, a player linked to Manchester United and the team’s top scorer with seven goals, enjoys fouling the opposition. As of this writing, he had accrued 45 in 23 games.
Top-Fouling Players at Bournemouth in 2024–2025
Rank
The player
The quantity of fouls
1.
Semenyo, Antoine
45
2.
Cook, Lewis
41
3.
Christie, Ryan
38
1Wolverhampton Wanderers
2024/25 fouls: 323
For those connected to Wolverhampton Wanderers, based in Molineux, this season has been peculiar. They were poised to finish in the top half, but a manager change from Vitor Pereira to Gary O’Neil has stunted their growth, and they are now battling for their lives as the season draws to a close.
Frustration has therefore been a normal part of their performance. The Old Gold’s position at the top of the league is cemented by players like Joao Gomes, Nelson Semedo, and Matheus Cunha, who are all considered to be among the dirtiest players in the Premier League. Actually, this season, the aforementioned Gomes has committed the most fouls (51).
Top-Fouling Players for Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2024–2025
Rank
The player
The quantity of fouls
1.
Gomes, Joao
51
2 =
Semedo, Nelson
34
3 =
Cunha, Matheus
34
