Irish midfielder named one of the Premier League’s dirtiest players, but there’s no surprise who tops the list

English football's most reliable offenders.

The Telegraph have compiled a list of the 20 dirtiest players to grace the Premier League over the past five years, and there are plenty of familiar faces making the cut. The list takes into account yellow and red cards awarded to a player, as well as the number of fouls committed, with Ireland midfielder James McCarthy finding himself in ninth place, despite not receiving a red card in his Premier League career. However, a tally of 30 yellows and nearly 200 fouls over the last half-decade sees the Everton man into the top ten. It is no surprise to see McCarthy trailing the likes of Lee Cattermole and Charlie Adam, while the identity of the man in the number one spot won't shock a soul who watched the recent Europa League encounters between Manchester United and Liverpool. Yes, the Premier League's dirtiest player is Marouane Fellaini, who elbows his way to the top spot with a whopping 296 fouls, 23 yellows and one red card. Here's the top ten: 10. Ramires 9. James McCarthy 8. Morgan Schneiderlin 7. Lee Cattermole 6. Craig Gardner 5. Jack Colback 4. Charlie Adam 3. Cheick Tiote 2. Gareth Barry 1. Marouane Fellaini