Arsenal have committed fewer fouls than any other side in the league, not that that is reflected in their card record.
Arsenal have committed 279 fouls this season in the Premier League and are the only side in the division to have committed fewer than 300 fouls.
The next ‘best’ side is Everton on 303 with Manchester City on 307 and Leicester on 311.
Premier League fouls 20/21
| Fulham | 413 |
| Sheffield Utd | 372 |
| Manchester Utd | 369 |
| Tottenham | 363 |
| Chelsea | 360 |
| Leeds United | 354 |
| Wolves | 352 |
| Brighton | 350 |
| Aston Villa | 345 |
| Southampton | 338 |
| Crystal Palace | 330 |
| Liverpool | 322 |
| West Brom | 320 |
| West Ham | 319 |
| Newcastle Utd | 318 |
| Burnley | 318 |
| Leicester City | 311 |
| Manchester City | 307 |
| Everton | 303 |
| Arsenal | 279 |
When it comes to yellow cards, however, Arsenal only need 6.5 fouls to pick one up, placing them fifth in the table which is, it should be noted, a significant improvement on recent seasons when Arsenal picked up a card, on average, every 4-or-so fouls and topped the charts.
At one point in the 19/20 season, Arsenal were getting a yellow every 3.2 fouls while Liverpool needed over 10 and Leicester over 14.
Fouls per yellow card
| Newcastle Utd | 5.6 |
| Leicester City | 6.0 |
| Aston Villa | 6.2 |
| Everton | 6.3 |
| Arsenal | 6.5 |
| Sheffield Utd | 6.5 |
| Fulham | 7.4 |
| Manchester Utd | 7.4 |
| Leeds United | 7.5 |
| Wolves | 7.8 |
| Crystal Palace | 7.9 |
| Southampton | 7.9 |
| Tottenham | 7.9 |
| West Ham | 8.0 |
| West Brom | 8.0 |
| Burnley | 8.2 |
|
Manchester City
|
8.5 |
| Brighton | 9.0 |
| Liverpool | 9.2 |
| Chelsea | 9.5 |
Arsenal really come into their own when it comes to red cards. They’ve had five this season, far more than any other side.
On average, Arsenal pick up a red card every 55.8 fouls whereas Leicester, Burnley, Manchester City haven’t had one at all this season and Manchester United have managed to average one red card every 369 fouls.
Fouls per red card
| fouls per red | reds | |
| Arsenal | 55.8 | 5 |
| West Brom | 80.0 | 4 |
| Brighton | 116.7 | 3 |
| Sheffield Utd | 124.0 | 3 |
| Fulham | 137.7 | 3 |
| Everton | 151.5 | 2 |
| Newcastle Utd | 159.0 | 2 |
| Crystal Palace | 165.0 | 2 |
| Southampton | 169.0 | 2 |
| Aston Villa | 172.5 | 2 |
| Chelsea | 180.0 | 2 |
| Tottenham | 181.5 | 2 |
| West Ham | 319.0 | 1 |
| Wolves | 352.0 | 1 |
| Leeds United | 354.0 | 1 |
| Manchester Utd | 369.0 | 1 |
| Leicester City | 311 | 0 |
| Burnley | 318 | 0 |
| Manchester City | 307 | 0 |
| Liverpool | 322 | 0 |
Now, I can hear you in the back.
Yes, I know it depends on what type of fouls are being made, but are we really going to sit here and agree that Arsenal are a dirtier team than Burnley, to take a random, kicky example? Or Leeds? Or Leicester? Or even Tottenham who are one of the dirtiest, cheatiest teams in the league?
No, of course we’re not.