Preston North End, Stoke City, and Swansea City stars among Championship's 18 'dirtiest’ players

Two Preston North End players are among the top 18 players in the Championship to have committed the most fouls so far this season.

North End are to be without two of their players for their next match through suspension, but they're not considered the most 'dirtiest' players in the league. Ben Whiteman has picked up five yellow cards before the 19-game mark, and that results in a one match-ban, whilst Milutin Osmajic is out for the next seven games following an incident with Blackburn Rovers’ Owen Beck.

On-loan Leeds United star Sam Greenwood was recently given a three-game ban for a red card for a foul in the Lancashire Derby against Blackburn Rovers. He was sent off during the fixture rather than retrospectively, and so he’s available for selection once again after the international break.

Out of all the teams in the Championship this season, it is PNE who have had the most yellow cards this season, and the joint most red. They've accumulated 29 yellow cards, with two yellows resulting in a red, and one straight dismissal.

Stoke City and Norwich City have received the second-most yellow cards, with 26 apiece. Not all fouls are worthy of a dismissal however, but if they tally up, then that can eventually result in a caution, and even worse a red card.

How about the players though? Ali McCann, has made the most fouls out of any player in the Preston North End squad, with Mads Frokjaer-Jensen, and Brad Potts just behind him. The player with the most fouls on average in the Championship however is a Burnley player, and then someone from Sheffield United.

Here according to WhoScored, are the EFL second-tier stars who on average commit the most fouls per game in the opening nine fixtures of the 2024/25 season.