Premier League dirty games: Battle of the Bridge ranked

By Adam Smith

Tottenham host Chelsea live on Sky Sports 1 from 7.30pm on Wednesday - but was their infamous Battle of the Bridge eight months ago the dirtiest game in Premier League history?

Spurs' title hopes were crushed in May last season after they squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, a result which crowned Leicester champions.

The game was later coined the Battle of the Bridge after producing 12 yellow cards, a touchline melee and a controversial eye-gouging incident - but was it the dirtiest Premier League game ever?

We have selected six games that were arguably dirtier than last season's heated affair at the Bridge...

Leeds 0-0 Chelsea, Oct 25, 1998

Straight reds: 0

Second yellow: 1

Total yellow: 12

Image: Chelsea's Frank Leboeuf was sent off against Leeds

This fixture produced 12 yellow cards, including two for Chelsea's Frank Leboeuf who was dismissed in the 61st minute.

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Blues 'keeper Ed de Goey saved a Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink penalty in the 45th minute and the game finished goalless.

West Ham 1-5 Leeds, May 1, 1999

Straight reds: 2

Second yellow: 1

Total yellow: 9

Image: Three players were sent off when West Ham hosted Leeds in May 1999

West Ham went down to eight men against Leeds in the final month of the 1998/99 season.

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Ian Wright received a second yellow card in the 17th minute, while 'keeper Shaka Hislop saw straight red in the 61st minute before Steve Lomas was dismissed in the 87th minute.

The Hammers also picked up another four yellow cards, while Leeds received three cautions.

West Brom 1-1 Fulham, Sept 18, 2004

Straight reds: 2

Second yellow: 1

Total yellow: 8

Image: Referee Mike Dean sends off Fulham's Papa Bouba Diop (left) agsinst West Brom

This fixture produced two straight reds, one dismissal for a second bookable offence and six additional yellow cards.

Fulham went down to 10 men in the 61st minute when referee Mike Dean dismissed Papa Bouba Diop.

West Brom's Neil Clement received a second yellow card in the 84th minute before Fulham's Andy Cole was also sent off just one minute later.

Chelsea 4-4 Aston Villa, Dec 26, 2007

Straight reds: 3

Second yellow: 0

Total yellow: 5

Image: Aston Villa's Zat Knight is shown the red card by referee Phil Dowd, after bringing down Michael Ballack in the area for a penalty

This game produced it all. A Shaun Maloney double put Villa two up but Andriy Shevchenko pulled the Blues level with a goal either side of the half-time whistle.

Alex then put Chelsea ahead before Martin Laursen equalised. Michael Ballack looked to have claimed all three points in the 88th minute but Gareth Barry converted a last-minute penalty to make it 4-4.

The game also saw Chelsea's Ricardo Carvalho and Ashley Cole and Aston Villa's Zat Knight receive straight red cards.

Liverpool 0-1 Everton, Sept 27, 1999

Straight reds: 3

Second yellow: 0

Total yellow: 5

Image: Liverpool's Sander Westerveld wrestles with Everton's Francis Jeffers

Several Merseyside derbies were candidates to make the list of dirtiest matches, with February 2010 (Straight red: 1, second yellow: 1, total yellow: 8), March 2006 (Straight red: 1, second yellow: 1, total yellows: 12) and April 2001 (Second yellow: 1, total yellows: 12) all contenders.

However, on September 27, 1999, referee Mike Riley dismissed three players for straight red offences and cautioned another five.

After Kevin Campbell put the Toffees ahead on four minutes, Liverpool's Sander Westerveld was dismissed in the 75th minute along with Everton's Francis Jeffers before Reds' captain Steven Gerrard also saw red in the 90th minute. 

Bolton 2-2 Leicester, Dec 29, 2001

Straight reds: 2

Second yellow: 1

Total yellow: 6

Image: Bolton's Paul Warhurst is sent off against Leicester City

Bolton were down to nine men by the 23rd minute after Paul Warhurst was dismissed and Dean Holdsworth also received a straight red.

Leicester capitalised by scoring either side of the sending offs but Kevin Nolan pulled one back for Wanderers.

The Foxes went down to 10 men when Muzzy Izzet received a second yellow card before Michael Ricketts scored a last-minute equaliser.

Premier League fixtures (ranked by combined red & yellow cards)

Team Opponent Yellow cards Red cards
Chelsea Man Utd 218 10
Everton Liverpool 196 21
Arsenal Man Utd 208 8
Arsenal Chelsea 198 12
Arsenal Tottenham 196 11
Chelsea Tottenham 186 9
Chelsea Liverpool 186 8
Liverpool Man Utd 171 16
Arsenal Aston Villa 176 7
Everton Newcastle 160 15
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