Chelsea vs Man City: The Premier League’s dirtiest teams go head-to-head this weekend
CHELSEA and Manchester City face of this weekend in a clash of the dirtiest teams in the Premier League.
Pep Guardiola's sides may be known for playing the beautiful game and City have blitzed their way to top of the league this season.
But they also have a darker side as the most ill-disciplined team in the top flight who are constantly getting in trouble with referees.
And they go head-to-head on Saturday with a Chelsea team who are running them close to be the worst behaved in the country.
The pair are clear at the top of the FA's fair play table this season after an opening two months littered by red and yellow cards.
City have collected 16 bookings and two red cards in their opening seven matches, making them the worst behaved team in the top flight on 84 disciplinary points.
But Antonio Conte's Chelsea are almost as bad just two points behind, on the back of having three players sent off and 12 other yellow cards shown.
The damning statistics put a new edge on the game between two of the main contenders for winning the Premier League this season.
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And it will put fresh pressure on the two managers controlling their stars - especially in the wake of the ugly brawl that marred one of their matches last season.
City had Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho sent-off in stoppage time as tempers boiled over at the end of Chelsea's 3-1 win at the Etihad last December.
Aguero's ugly challenge on David Luiz sparked the brawl before Fernandinho saw red for shoving Cesc Fabregas off the pitch.
Ironically Luiz is having to sit out this weekend's match through suspension after getting himself sent off for a shocking challenge on Arsenal defender Sead Kolasinac.
The Brazilian was the third Chelsea player dismissed this season, after Gary Cahill and Fabregas were sent packing in the opening day defeat to Burnley.
Kyle Walker and Raheem Sterling have seen red for City this term - and only struggling Crystal Palace have had more players booked so far.
Palace have collected 18 yellow cards in eight matches but have not had any player sent off with City and Chelsea easily the worst culprits.
Given the high-profile nature of the game, and the potential for trouble, the Premier League have appointed one of their best referees in Martin Atkinson to take charge this week.
And Atkinson has shown he is not afraid to brandish the cards to control the players, having issued 12 bookings and one red card in his four matches this season.
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