Arsene's victims
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Arsene Wenger has criticised Stoke’s players for deliberately trying to injure his young Gunners in The Potters’ win on Saturday. What he failed to mention was that referees had not been too kind to Arsenal either. Opta investigate Arsene’s victims.
If 'The Professor' can be accused of wearing rose-tinted spectacles at times, the Premier League referees have been especially severe with Arsenal this season.
Despite having committed the fewest fouls since the start of the campaign (109), Arsenal have seen yellow more often than any other team. Indeed, The Gunners receive a yellow card every 5.45 fouls on average.
West Brom and Manchester United can feel themselves hard done by as well, collecting a booking less than every seventh foul.
Fulham, on the other hand, have enjoyed the most freedom, committing 16 fouls on average between each yellow card.
The fact that The Gunners and The Red Devils are both in the top three of the most frequently disciplined teams this season puts paid to the theory that the big clubs are treated differently to the rest of the league.