Mikel Arteta is one of only five Premier League managers not to have been booked this season. Arne Slot, Enzo Maresca and Pep Guardiola are close to bans.
Arteta was the joint leader for Premier League manager yellow cards in 2023/24, sharing that title with the departed Roberto De Zerbi. He is not alone in boasting a clean record, but plenty of coaches have made their way into the book.
Premier League managers with three cards this season
Andoni Iraola (Bournemouth)
First booking
Newcastle (August 25) – shown a yellow card by David Coote in the 94th minute for dissent after a winning goal from Dango Ouattara was disallowed for handball.
“I went to talk to the referee, but I think the referee today could not do much more. He gave a goal. (The VAR officials) didn’t give him the chance to see the images again. What is he going to do? He took the right decision. He dealt quite well with the game, I think. He cannot do much more. It’s obvious he’s not the one that has made a mistake today,” he said.
Second booking
West Ham (August 28) – shown a yellow card by Peter Bankes in the 91st minute for dissent after a late Jarrod Bowen winner appeared to come off his elbow.
“It’s even more clear. I don’t know what to say. We are not making these mistakes but we are suffering the consequences, and we are out of the competition because of a mistake. I don’t know what we have to do to change something but obviously it’s costing us a lot. We haven’t won on Sunday because of VAR and we are out of the cup because there is no VAR,” he said.
Third booking
Liverpool (September 21) – shown a yellow card by Tony Harrington in the 25th minute for dissent after Luis Diaz’s opening goal.
“I think it was clear what happened, I asked for an offside and for VAR but they think I asked for a yellow card and it wasn’t even a foul for Liverpool. Probably they understand why but they cannot accept any appeal for yellow cards they told me, so I will be upstairs, yes,” he said of his suspension.
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Steve Cooper (Leicester)
First booking
Aston Villa (August 31) – shown a yellow card by David Coote in the 93rd minute for dissent after a penalty was not given against Youri Tielemans for a perceived foul on Jamie Vardy; it was incorrectly awarded as a Villa throw-in instead.
“I think everybody in the stadium would have been booked if the referee could have got around to it. I’ve just accepted that the refereeing is where it is. The key message to us was that the threshold for tackles and duels, in this beautiful English game that we love, was going to be raised. I can remember it clearly. And then we get that,” he said.
Second booking
Arsenal (September 28) – shown a yellow card by Sam Barrott in the 21st minute for dissent after a perceived foul on Jamie Vardy by William Saliba in the build-up to Arsenal’s first goal.
“We were very disappointed with a foul not being given on Vards for the first goal. And although we don’t come into games trying to get players sent off, why he hasn’t sent off Calafiori is a little bit beyond belief. Because of the spell we’re in and the spell that I’m in personally, I’m trying to not let referees’ decisions be the headline, as I’m trying to take responsibility for a team that needs to get better results. But we feel those were two poor decisions,” he said.
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Third booking
Manchester United (October 30) – shown a yellow card by Andy Madley in the 32nd minute for dissent after complaining about a perceived offside in the build-up to Alejandro Garnacho’s goal.
“Maybe there’s a bit of sympathy for the linesman. He’s a Premier League linesman and he’s used to the protection of VAR. But he can’t make a mistake like that. It was a big moment in the game. We score soon after and it should be 1-1. It’s 2-1. The referee’s enjoyed giving me a yellow card as well. He looked like he had a good time tonight. That was that. But I want to stand up for my team. You can’t just see an image on the bench and just accept it,” he said.
Nuno Espirito Santo (Nottingham Forest)
First booking
Southampton (August 24) – shown a yellow card by Sam Barrott in the 20th minute for dissent after Ben Brereton Diaz was not booked for a foul on Anthony Elanga.
Espirito Santo offered no public comment.
Second booking
Brighton (September 22) – shown a red card by Robert Jones in the 87th minute for persistent foul and abusive language after Morgan Gibbs-White was sent off for a foul on Joao Pedro.
“It looks like a yellow card sometimes, others it’s a good tackle. It’s a hard one to judge. That’s why I think us as a club and all the clubs should support the referee as it’s a tough task. It’s emotional, we are under a lot of stress. That [Jones initially signalling that Gibbs-White had won the ball] was the mess. But let’s hope they improve and we continue. I don’t want to see it as a problem. I see it as a very hard job to do,” he said. Nuno was later given a three-game touchline suspension and fine by the FA.
Third booking
Chelsea (October 6) – shown a yellow card by Chris Kavanagh in the 74th minute for dissent after Malo Gusto blocked a Morgan Gibbs-White shot and the Nottingham Forest forward suffered an injury.
“Please referees understand that we are there on the touchline and on the pitch, it is very emotional. There are so many things happening, so many thoughts and so many circumstances. It is very hard to keep our emotions together. I must apologise for my behaviour, but I didn’t do anything that another manager wouldn’t do,” he said.
Nuno’s assistant Rui Pedro Silva has also received two yellow cards this season. He was booked in the same incident which saw both managers and Gibbs-White sent off against Brighton, then in the aftermath of Callum Hudson-Odoi’s goal in the win over West Ham. Both yellows were for dissent.
Russell Martin (Southampton)
First booking
Manchester United (September 14) – shown a yellow card by Stuart Attwell in the 81st minute for dissent after Jack Stephens was sent off for a foul on Alejandro Garnacho.
“The only thing I was annoyed about was the process of the fourth official and the ref looking at each other for ages and asking if they would give it. So that was my only frustration. I felt maybe he missed him during the game, but I think he’s made contact, so it is what it is,” he said.
Second booking
Leicester (October 19) – shown a yellow card by Anthony Taylor in the 99th minute for dissent after complaining about the amount of stoppage time; Jordan Ayew scored the winner in the 98th minute.
“I was frustrated at the end. We’d played longer than the seven minutes but that’s just frustration and emotion coming out,” he said.
Third booking
Manchester City (October 26) – shown a yellow card by Tony Harrington in the 43rd minute for dissent after Flynn Downes was booked for a foul on Bernardo Silva.
“It’s a bad decision because Flynn takes the ball and gets booked. I didn’t swear at the fourth official, I threw my arms up in the air at a bad decision and I got booked. I’m not happy about that because I miss a game next week. If I’m wrong and I deserve a yellow card, then I hold my hands up. But today, I think that’s nonsense. I’ll probably get fined for that as well, but it is nonsense,” he said.
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Premier League managers with two cards this season
Unai Emery (Aston Villa)
First booking
Everton (September 14) – shown a yellow card by Craig Pawson in the 85th minute for dissent towards a match official, but it is not explicitly clear what triggered any outburst. There are some suggestions he ventured out of his technical area while ranting at Ross Barkley, and we’ve all been there.
Emery offered no public comment.
Second booking
Wolves (September 21) – shown a yellow card by Tim Robinson in the 65th minute for dissent after complaining that Jorgen Strand Larsen was taking too long vacating the field after being substituted.
Emery offered no public comment.
Fabian Hurzeler (Brighton)
First booking
Arsenal (August 31) – shown a yellow card by Chris Kavanagh in the 43rd minute for dissent after a Declan Rice foul on Joel Veltman for which the midfielder was booked.
“I was booked because I was complaining about the tackle against Joel. For me, of course we can mistake that in the Premier League that it’s a yellow card but I think nobody can complain if it’s a red. Not because of the foul but it’s more like the way he’s going into the duel,” he said.
Second booking
Nottingham Forest (September 22) – shown a red card by Robert Jones in the 87th minute for entering the field of play without the referee’s permission after Morgan Gibbs-White was sent off for a foul on Joao Pedro. The touchline ban was later rescinded following a discussion with PGMOL head Howard Webb, although he was fined by the FA for acting in an improper manner.
“I know what the fine will be and I also know that I will be on the sideline against Chelsea. I also have to learn out of this situation, how fast you can get a red card here in this league. But, of course, the fine we will accept. If you give a red card for this, you have to ban a lot of coaches during the games because in an emotional situation of the game it will happen that you make a step on the pitch. Of course we are role models and we have to act like this. But I think sometimes you also should bring out your emotions. In this case it was to protect Joao Pedro because it was a hard tackle on him. If I don’t show emotions there, me as a player, I would say, ‘the coach isn’t interested in me’, so that’s why I try to show emotions in some part of the games,” he said.
Enzo Maresca (Chelsea)
First booking
Bournemouth (September 14) – shown a yellow card by Anthony Taylor in the 66th minute for dissent after a perceived foul on Wesley Fofana was not given.
“It’s not a problem, this amount of yellow cards. It is what it is. I complained about a foul on Wesley Fofana which for me was quite clear but it can happen. Eight yellow cards probably because these sort of games are about duels and fight and this can happen. Sometimes the game demands the way you have to behave,” he said.
Second booking
Newcastle (October 27) – shown a yellow card by Simon Hooper in the 93rd minute for dissent after Christopher Nkunku was booked for a foul on Bruno Guimaraes.
Maresca offered no public comment.
Marco Silva (Fulham)
First booking
Leicester (August 24) – shown a yellow card by Darren Bond in the 82nd minute for dissent after a perceived Victor Kristiansen foul on Calvin Bassey was not given.
Silva offered no public comment.
Second booking
West Ham (September 14) – shown a yellow card by Tim Robinson in the 16th minute for dissent after a penalty was not given against Max Kilman for a perceived foul on Adama Traore.
“It’s a clear penalty in my opinion, it’s incredible how it’s not a penalty so this is difficult to accept. I don’t have doubts. On the field I didn’t and after I don’t as well. When my player is sprinting one-on-one with the goalkeeper and someone pushes from behind, it’s almost impossible…it’s difficult to accept how the decision on the field was like that. It was clear for me and for you. We have to respect the decision but it had a massive impact in the game. If it’s a penalty, he should’ve been sent off, he didn’t try to play the ball. In that moment it’s a clear penalty and a clear red card,” he said.
Arne Slot (Liverpool)
First booking
Chelsea (October 20) – shown a yellow card by John Brooks in the 26th minute for dissent after complaining about a series of decisions which went against Liverpool.
“The booking came from the fact that, I think there were three or four decisions that didn’t go in our favour. So it was a handball, I don’t know if it was, but everybody was screaming for it, so I did as well. Then there was the red card situation, then there was the penalty situation just afterwards. So there were a few things going against us, and I think sometimes you cannot hold your emotions, and that’s what you saw with me as well. He deserved to give me a yellow card. He should have given me, which he did. I deserved it. I have to put it like this,” he said.
Second booking
Arsenal (October 27) – shown a yellow card by Anthony Taylor in the 72nd minute for dissent after complaining about a series of decisions which went against Liverpool.
“Last time, I said I completely deserved the yellow card. This time I don’t think I did. So many times they were on the floor, which can happen in football, I don’t blame them for that. But they always fell down after they had ball possession and that took the energy out of the game in my opinion. I said to Ibou Konate, ‘This is a f**king joke.’ The fourth official thought I said to him: ‘You are a f**king joke.’ That’s definitely not what I said. I got a yellow for that so now I’m on two and I have to be careful,” he said.
Pep Guardiola (Manchester City)
First booking
Arsenal (September 22) – shown a yellow card by Michael Oliver in the 97th minute for entering the field of play without the referee’s permission while celebrating a John Stones equaliser.
Guardiola offered no public comment.
Second booking
Fulham (October 5) – shown a yellow card by Peter Bankes in the 93rd minute for dissent after sarcastically applauding the booking of Ederson for time-wasting.
Guardiola offered no public comment.
Gary O’Neil (Wolves)
First booking
Arsenal (August 17) – shown a yellow card by Jarred Gillett in the 87th minute for dissent after a penalty was not given against Jurrien Timber for a perceived foul on Hwang Hee-chan.
O’Neil offered no public comment.
Second booking
Nottingham Forest (August 31) – shown a yellow card by Simon Hooper in the 78th minute for dissent after a penalty was not given against Chris Wood for an alleged handball.
“How outstretched Chris Woods’ arm was and the fact it hits him right on the hand, it looked fairly obvious to me. It’s interesting how close Simon got to blowing his whistle. Very close to his lips,” he said.
Premier League managers with one card this season
Thomas Frank (Brentford)
First booking
Tottenham (September 21) – shown a yellow card by John Brooks in the 59th minute for dissent after a perceived handball outside the box by Guglielmo Vicario.
“He had handled it outside the box. That incident did not define the game. It was a mistake. It could have been a free-kick to us. It could have helped us. But, hey, you never know. I think the probability of scoring from a direct free-kick is like 0.0543. So probably not the biggest probability for scoring anyway. And I think John Brooks overall had a very good game. The way he handled soft fouls both ways was really good,” he said.
Sean Dyche (Everton)
First booking
Leicester (September 21) – shown a yellow card by Darren England in the 46th minute for dissent after Michael Keane was booked for a foul on James Justin.
Dyche offered no public comment.
Erik ten Hag (Manchester United)
First booking
Brentford (October 19) – shown a yellow card by Sam Barrott in the 51st minute for dissent after Brentford scored from a corner when Matthijs de Ligt was sent to receive treatment on a head injury for the third time.
“It was dry blood so he was already treated for the injury. I didn’t understand why he was sent [to the touchline]. I went over to Matthijs and he said: ‘It is dry blood and I have to come off – I don’t know why.’ A huge moment because Brentford are very good at corners and you miss one of your best headers. We felt some injustice and used it as fuel, the madness and anger,” he said.
Julen Lopetegui (West Ham)
First booking
Liverpool (September 25) – shown a yellow card by Andy Madley in the 69th minute for dissent after a penalty was not given against Kostas Tsimikas for a perceived handball.
“In the second half, I think that it’s a penalty. The new rule is really clear that it hit the hand. It was no penalty and in the next action they scored,” he said.
Premier League managers with zero cards this season
Mikel Arteta (Arsenal), Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace), Kieran McKenna (Ipswich), Eddie Howe (Newcastle) and Ange Postecoglou (Tottenham).
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