Where Sunderland, Newcastle United and Middlesbrough rank in the 'dirtiest clubs' in Premier League history

Sunderland will hope to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2017 and bring a successful end to their unexpected push for promotion this season.

With the final international break of the calendar year now in the past, the Black Cats are solely focused on Saturday’s visit to Millwall, who are exceeding their own expectations by putting in what feels like an unlikely challenge for a play-off spot. Hot on the heels are two other meetings with promotion contenders as West Bromwich Albion travel to the Stadium of Light on Tuesday night before the Black Cats head to Sheffield United for a Friday night fixture in front of the Sky cameras.

It seems certain we will know a whole lot more about how genuine Sunderland’s bid for promotion is by the end of the month and whether supporters can see their dreams of a return to the top flight realised this season. Of course, the Black Cats have enjoyed some memorable moments in the Premier League since the new look league was formed way back in 1992.

Club legends such as Peter Reid, Niall Quinn and Kevin Phillips all played their part in leading the club to two seventh placed finishes and some iconic derby wins against Newcastle United either side of the millennium before a decade-long stint in the Premier League came between 2007 and 2017. There were some challenging seasons as Sunderland sides fought to stay in the Premier League - but there were also some memorable victories including two remarkable away wins at Chelsea, a dramatic late victory against Manchester City and another run of wins against Newcastle.

It was during Peter Reid’s time in charge when the Stadium of Light became a difficult place to visit for away sides and some of English football’s powerhouses withered in front of the Wearside faithful. Of course, having hardworking, gritty players such as Kevin Ball and Gavin McCann meant the Black Cats provided a significant physical test for their opposition - but it could also explain why the club ranks amongst the ‘dirtiest’ sides in the 22-year history of the Premier League.

So where do Sunderland sit in a list of the top ten ‘dirtiest’ clubs in the Premier League? We take a look with the help of statistics provided by Flashscore.