The 10 Dirtiest Matches in Premier League History

Everybody loves a meaty challenge - the joy of watching one of your boys smash into an opponent, winning the ball cleanly in the process, is hard to replicate. Especially in England.

However, what happens when it all goes...a bit wrong? One half-second late and the tackle turns troublesome. Red cards can give teams a mountain to climb.

It's not always that either. Some idiots will throw a tantrum, or maybe even start a fist fight. There's many ways to be dismissed from the pitch, and when it happens to multiple players in a single match, entertainment can ensue.

With all this in mind, here is a run down of the 10 dirtiest games in Premier League history:

10. Leeds United 0-0 Chelsea (25/10/98)

It was anything but a bore draw between Leeds and Chelsea back in October 1998. Referee Mike Reed handed out 13 cards in an ill-tempered match at Elland Road. 

World Cup winner Frank Leboeuf was the only man to see red, after receiving his second booking on the hour mark. Even Gianfranco Zola got yellowed. 

9. Everton 2-2 Newcastle United (13/09/03)

This 2-2 saw three penalties given by Rob Styles at Goodison Park. However, not even that was the key talking point in a thunderous battle on Merseyside. 

Frenchman Laurent Robert was given his marching orders after a mere 39 minutes, but goal machine Alan Shearer managed to help Newcastle salvage a draw.

8. Chelsea 1-1 Blackburn Rovers (17/02/99)

A cold February night saw Chelsea and Blackburn bludgeon each other into one point a piece.

Jody Morris opened the scoring before half time, but when the sides came back out for the second, football took a back seat. 

An 84th minute equaliser from midfielder Ashley Ward saw player-manager Gianluca Vialli get into a scrap with Marlon Broomes, with both receiving a red cards. 

Not exactly great leadership, is it?

7. Portsmouth 1-1 Sunderland (09/02/10)

Let's just say...Kevin Friend had an eventful evening a Fratton Park. 

A very early red for Pompey defender Ricardo Rocha didn't exactly help the home side, who found themselves 1-0 down only three minutes later.

However, second half dismissals for Lee Cattermole and David Meyler allowed the south coast side to find a last gasp equaliser. Steve Bruce wasn't a happy man. 

6. Tottenham 2-1 Arsenal (07/11/99)

In a rare north London derby win for Tottenham around this era, White Hart Lane saw a heated scrap hit overdrive. 

Steffen Iversen and Tim Sherwood put the home team up 2-0 early, before Patrick Vieira made it competitive for Arsenal five minutes before half time.

The second 45 got nasty however, with Freddie Ljungberg and Martin Keown heading for early baths. The Lilywhites held out for their manager George Graham, who got one over on his old side.

5. Liverpool 3-1 Everton (25/03/06)

This Merseyside derby saw Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard heading down the tunnel after a only 18 minutes. Bizarrely sporting a 08 number on his back, the Red lunged in on Kevin Kilbane to see his second yellow.

Andy van der Meyde's stupidity saw the teams level at 10 each however, with his elbow smashing into Xavi Alonso's face. 

That wasn't until the 73rd minute, but Everton still found a way to be behind - even with a man advantage.  

4. West Brom 1-1 Fulham (18/09/04)

Fulham picked up the majority of the booking points in this clash, as they battled to a draw at the Hawthorns. Mike Dean dismissed Papa Bouba Diop, Andy Cole and Neil Clement before Nigerian scorer Nwankwo Kanu levelled late on. 

There was a whole flurry of yellows as well; Collins John, Sylvain Legwinksi, Adam Green, Zat Knight, Edwin van der Sar and Darren Purse all found their way into the referee's notebook. 

3. Liverpool 0-1 Everton (27/09/99)

Still standing as Everton's last victory at Anfield, Kevin Campbell's fourth minute goal was about the last bit of football played that evening. 

Handbags between Francis Jeffers and Sander Westerveld saw both sent off with 15 to go.

As Gerard Houllier had used his third sub only four minutes prior, Irish defender Steve Staunton took the gloves. He did a good job, keeping a clean sheet for the game's remainder. However, the only one of Liverpool's outfield players to do anything was Steven Gerrard. 

Another red card. 

2. QPR 1-0 Chelsea (23/10/11)

A game in which Chelsea completely lost the plot, only the starting trio of Juan Mata, Petr Cech and Daniel Sturridge managed to escape Chris Foy's wrath. An early Heidar Helguson penalty separated the clubs in a fiercely contested London derby.

Overshadowed by Anton Ferdinand's claim of racist abuse from Blues' captain John Terry, the match saw both Jose Bosingwa and Didier Drobga sent off before half time. 

1. West Ham 1-5 Leeds (01/05/99)

So, here it is. The dirtiest match in Premier League history.

Holding the record for single game ill-discipline is West Ham and Leeds. However, it was mainly the Upton Park side who let themselves down, as three red cards added to four yellow ones. 

Smacked around by a then rampant Whites' side, the Irons saw it all fall to pieces. Ian Wright got his marching orders after 16 minutes, with two early bookings closing his afternoon's work. Goalkeeper Shaka Hislop came next, after the Trinidad and Tobago international felled Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink. 

Last but by no means least, was Steve Lomas, as the centre back threw in a savage lunge to end an embarrassing day. With only eight men on the field at the final whistle, a 5-1 defeat almost seemed respectable.