Referee Mike Dean is just one red card away from brandishing his 100th in Premier League – and what better game to celebrate a centurion of sending-offs than Manchester City taking on Chelsea at the Etihad Stadium?
Pep Guardiola's side will be looking to exact revenge on Chelsea on Sunday, who were the side to end the Citizens' unbeaten start to the season in December with a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
A win over the Blues would put pressure on Liverpool in the title race, who play a day earlier. Should the Reds draw or lose to Bournemouth on Saturday and Man City win at the Etihad, Man City will go clear at the top of the Premier League table.
Though Man City will have the title on their minds as they prepare for the massive showdown, they need to also be on their best behaviour under red-card happy Dean who will oversee the game.
The Wirral-born official will be the first Premier League referee to reach a century of dismissals should he decide to send off a player in Sunday's clash, with the likes of Martin Atkinson next in line with 58 red cards to his name.
Dean has shown no mercy this campaign, having already awarded nine red cards in just 19 fixtures – which is four more than other top-flight official. He most recently showed a second yellow to Huddersfield's Christopher Schindler against Burnley in January.
What's more is that Chelsea and Manchester City are the clubs that he has punished the most in his career, handing each side nine red cards each. Additionally, as if written in the cosmos, Chelsea vs Man City is the fixture where Dean has officiated the most and shown the most reds (four).
| Team | Sent off By Dean* |
|---|---|
| Chelsea | 9 |
| Manchester City | 9 |
| Newcastle United | 7 |
| Arsenal | 6 |
| Stoke City | 5 |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 5 |
| West Bromwich Albion | 5 |
*Second yellow cards included.
Dean made his Premier League refereeing debut in the 2000-01 season when he officiated Leicester City's clash with Southampton.
His refereeing career has involved some controversial moments, recently mouthing "off you pop" after sending off Brighton defender Lewis Dunk at the Vitality Stadium in December as well as handing a second yellow card to the wrong Brighton player.
Dean was demoted to the Championship in December 2017 for a weekend following a string of controversial Premier League decisions, such as deciding to dismiss Ross Barkley in the Merseyside Derby.
He has never sent off a player more than two times, however, with just five Premier League players having been honoured with a two-time Dean red card. Of those currently active, it is only Arsenal captain Laurent Koscielny who has been sent off by Dean more than once.
| Player | Sent off By Dean |
|---|---|
| Andrew Cole | 2 |
| Richard Dunne | 2 |
| Laurent Koscielny | 2 |
| Fernando Torres | 2 |
| Mike Williamson | 2 |
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