Arsenal want Bukayo Saka to get more protection over rough treatment after complaint to PGMOL… but WHO are the Premier League stars getting fouled even more than Gunners star?

Bukayo Saka was the third-most fouled played in the Premier League in 2023, and is also the third-most fouled player in the current campaign, according to statistics. 

Mail Sport exclusively revealed that Arsenal had complained to PGMOL (Professional Game Match Officials Limited) about the rough way that opponents had treated Saka.

The Gunners highlighted that, in their opinion, opponents are free to clatter the England star without an initial punishment from the match officials. 

Arsenal are believed to have said that a referee should issue a yellow card to an offender after the first strong foul on the 22-year-old, rather than wait for a second infringement. 

Across the whole of 2023, Arsenal’s winger was the Premier League’s third-most fouled player, being on the receiving end of 87 fouls, according to data compiled by Stats Perform. 

Arsenal complained to PGMOL about what they believe to be rough treatment of Bukayo Saka

Crystal Palace’s Jordan Ayew was fouled 117 times during Premier League matches in 2023

West Ham’s Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen each won more than 60 fouls each for their club

Only Jordan Ayew (117) of Crystal Palace and Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes (92) were fouled more across the past 12 months.

James Maddison was fourth on the list, after being fouled 80 times in his Premier League appearances with Leicester City and Tottenham, following his summer move to the capital. 

Aston Villa captain John McGinn and Manchester City’s Jack Grealish are both tied, having won 78 fouls each for their respective clubs.

Villa’s Ezri Konsa and Palace’s Michael Olise both won more than 70 fouls each in the English top flight across 2023, while West Ham pair Lucas Paqueta and Jarrod Bowen round out the top 10 from across the calendar year by winning more than 60 fouls each for the Hammers.  

So far in the 2023-24 season, there is a similar trend, with Ayew topping the table after winning 65 fouls for Palace, ahead of Bruno’s 53 won for the Magpies.

In this table, Saka is also third, winning 43 fouls, narrowly ahead of Paqueta, who has won just one fewer for the Hammers. 

Anthony Gordon has won 38 fouls for Newcastle this season, according to statistics, ahead of the Aston Villa pairing of McGinn and Konsa.

Man City’s Phil Foden has won 33 fouls for his club in their league fixtures so far in this campaign, while Brighton’s Joao Pedro, Fulham’s Joao Palhinha and Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White are all tied with 32 fouls won for their respective clubs.  

In the 2023-24 season so far, Saka is also third on the list of most fouls won in the league 

Newcastle’s Bruno Guimaraes has won 53 fouls for his team since the campaign started 

Aston Villa captain John McGinn has earned 36 fouls for his team across 1710 minutes

With FA Cup commitments and a staggered winter break for England’s leading clubs, there is a limited number of Premier League games across January.

The tournament returns with the Saturday lunchtime derby between Chelsea and Fulham on January 13, with all 20 clubs involved in staggered kick-offs across the following two weekends.

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