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Everybody loves to see a meaty challenge, especially in a division as physical and competitive as the Premier League. The joy of watching one of your players slide into an opponent and win the ball cleanly is often hard to replicate.
However, if these challenges are even half a second late, then the tackle turns deadly and could result in a red card. Not just that, certain players could throw a tantrum or maybe even start a fight on the pitch which results in them getting booked or sent-off.
Some legendary players in the Premier League have a poor disciplinary record
It is no surprise that some of the players with the most red cards in Premier League history are also some of the most celebrated players at their respective clubs. These players are known for their brave defending, box-to-box midfield play or aggressive attacking, giving it all out on the pitch for their team.
Here we take a look at five such legendary players with the most red cards in the history of the Premier League:
#5 Martin Keown - 6
Besides 13 appearances for Everton, Martin Keown spent the majority of his Premier League career with Arsenal. He earned six red cards for the Gunners during that time, but supporters would have forgiven him due to three Premier League titles and four FA Cups.
The most notable of all his dismissals was in the north London derby, as a second booking saw him booed down the White Hart Lane tunnel in the 1999-00 season. A win for Spurs was very rare during that time of Arsenal dominance, but Keown's and Freddie Ljungberg's early red cards allowed the home side to earn a 2-1 victory.
Nevertheless, Keown remains a legend for the Gunners, having been a key part of arguably the most successful period in the club's recent history.
#4 Steven Gerrard - 6
Perhaps Liverpool's biggest legend of the 21st century, it's surprising to see Steven Gerrard on this list, considering that he is not generally known as an aggressor. However, the position Gerrard played at Liverpool required aggressiveness, therefore he had to make such risky tackles during the crunch moments of the game.
Tackling was clearly not his strong suit though, considering the amount of red cards he earned during his time in the Premier League. Gerrard was sent off six times in the league, three times with a straight red card and three times with successive yellow cards.
The midfielder was, however, an integral part of the Reds and was famous for scoring some spectacular goals during his time at the club. He won several titles at Liverpool including two FA Cups, three League Cups, one UEFA Cup and one Champions League title. However, the former England international did not manage to get his hands on the Premier League trophy.
Nevertheless, Gerrard will always be remembered by the Anfield faithful as one of the greatest to ever don the red jersey.
#3 John Terry - 6
Captain, leader, legend. John Terry is without a doubt one of the best central defenders to ever play in the Premier League.
Graduating from the Chelsea academy, Terry had the pleasure of being a leading part of some of the Premier League's greatest sides at Stamford Bridge. His leadership and defensive acumen at the back was crucial to the Blues' success in the Abramovich era. Terry is also the highest scoring defender in the Premier League.
However, Terry's hard tackling nature has landed him in hot water at times, with the defender receiving six dismissals in 492 Premier League matches.
His sending-off against West Brom in 2015 would probably have frustrated him the most, with the centre-back shown his second booking after Salomon Rondon tumbled to the ground.
Nevertheless, with five Premier titles during his time at the club, Terry is without a doubt one of the finest to ever play in the Premier League.
#2 Roy Keane - 7
A fierce competitor and the captain of a Manchester United side that once dominated English football, Roy Keane is considered one of the most complete midfielders of his generation. A nasty enforcer who was tenacious in the tackle, Keane's reputation formed on his dominating drive with a tendency for a rash challenge.
Keane has somewhat mellowed out, as seen with his commentary roles on TV, but even now he still gets a little feisty behind the microphone. But back during his playing days, Keane was pretty feisty on the field and was considered a mad man.
He made a season-ending tackle on Manchester City's Alfe-Inge Haaland, which he later admitted in his autobiography to have been deliberate. This brought in a lot of criticism for the Irishman and was one of his seven Premier League red cards. Keane was never far from controversy or the referee's books.
Still, the former Celtic man is a legend in the red half of Manchester having won several trophies with the Red Devils, including seven Premier League titles and one Champions League.
#1 Patrick Vieira - 8
A colossal figure in the middle of the park, Patrick Vieira was the powerful leader of the early period during Arsene Wenger's Arsenal reign. His rivalry with Roy Keane during the latter's time at Manchester United was especially engaging to watch, with the two captains going head to head on several occasions.
Vieira was an integral part of the Gunners' Premier League winning squads and was the leader of the Gunners' famous Invincibles team. He was irreplaceable not only for Arsenal but also for the French national team, having played as one of the best defensive midfielders in Europe for many years.
Despite having the joint-most red cards in Premier League history, only two of those were straight dismissals, with the other six coming through double bookings. He was, however, once banned for six games for spitting at West Ham's Neil Ruddock having been dismissed for a second bookable offense.
Nevertheless, Vieira remains one of the most decorated players in the game, having won three Premier League titles, five Serie A trophies and five FA Cups during his club career. He also won the 1998 FIFA World Cup and 2000 European Championship with France truly making him one of the best to ever grace the game.
