Who said Arsenal were soft?
In the barren years that followed the Invincibles, that may have been a fair criticism, but Arsene Wenger’s earlier teams were tough as old boots.
Gilberto Silva, Tony Adams, Martin Keown and Emmanuel Petit were all knocking heads together in the first decade of Wenger’s time in north London.
But one of his key players is, statistically, up there with the dirtiest players in Premier League history, and the stats are there to prove it.
Patrick Vieira was sent off an incredible eight – EIGHT – times during his nine years at Arsenal.
His great adversary over that period was Roy Keane at Manchester United, who was only dismissed seven times, and spent longer in England’s top flight.
Vieira averaged a red card every 3,162 minutes (roughly one every 35 games), while Keane’s record was a red card every 4,414 minutes (49 games).
But there are two other players on eight red cards, one of whom has to take the crown of dirtiest ever Premier League player.
Former Man City, QPR and Aston Villa defender, Richard Dunne, averaged a red card every 47 games, but Everton legend Duncan Ferguson has to take the crown of the filthiest Premier League star.
Ferguson, who was famous for scoring lots of goals and the attempted murder of Stefan Freund, was sent off on average once every 2,284 minutes (25 games).
We anoint thee, Duncan Disorderly, as the dirtiest player in Premier League history. Fair play.
