Worst Premier League game ever: We look back at all 14 yellow cards in Bournemouth vs Chelsea

One penalty, 25 fouls, countless whistles from the referee and 14 yellow cards… this is the worst game in Premier League history.

Chelsea players were issued eight yellow cards and Bournemouth six at the Vitality Stadium on Saturday, setting a record number of warnings, under referee Anthony Taylor.

The previous highest number of yellow cards in a match was 12 when Chelsea played London rivals Tottenham in 2016, and the same number for Wolves against Newcastle in 2010.

Earlier today (Sunday) it looked as if yesterday’s record would stand for less than 24 hours when Tottenham were shown seven yellow cards in the first 45 minutes of their match against Arsenal, equalling the Premier League record for a first half. However, the second half of that match saw more discipline.

Bournemouth v Chelsea, a match they won 1-0 thanks to a Christopher Nkunku goal in the 80th minute, can now be called the worst Premier League match ever.

Here The Athletics investigates every booking to see what’s going on…

Booking 1, 18min

Bournemouth midfielder Ryan Christie gets us going. The 29-year-old caught Cole Palmer with his knee on his right quadriceps just as the England international had received a pass and fired it past him in one swift movement.

On the grass, Palmer asks for the foul, sees it given, then shows some more pain for good measure. Christie takes the booking with only mild complaints.

Ryan Christie, party starter (Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images)

Booking 2, 31min

The ball is thrown forward towards Bournemouth’s €47 million (£40.3 million; $51.7 million) summer signing Evanilson, who pushes to win the header with Wesley Fofana. The Chelsea defender makes what appears to be minimal contact with his arm against the Brazilian’s cheek, but it’s enough to send him down, clutching his face. Evanilson wins the free-kick he’s been hoping for, and Fofana is in the books.

“The referee thought it was too aggressive, (but) I disagree,” said former Republic of Ireland international Andy Townsend, of Peacock’s co-commentary. “I don’t think what Fofana did was anything out of the ordinary. Yes, he got a punch in the face, but it wasn’t an elbow.”

Booking 3, 35min

Once again Palmer’s quick feet are causing problems. He receives another pass on the right and Lewis Cook steams in to close it down, but just barely catches it.

Both Bournemouth’s defensive midfielders are now in the book. Cook kept Palmer close and this will make their task of stopping him much harder.

All in all it is a soft booking, and Cook is top of the Premier League table for most offences committed so far this season with 13 points.

Booking 4, 36min

Minutes after going down to punish a foul, Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella hands out the ball himself.

Evanilson challenges Levi Colwill on the touchline and Cucurella leaps over, twists his back and pushes the striker, kicking his leg out. He then dares to look surprised when Taylor blows his whistle and issues the yellow card.

Reservation 5, 37min

Fofana’s weak pass back to his keeper Robert Sanchez — with Evanilson sprinting after it — makes life difficult for Chelsea’s No. 1. As the Bournemouth forward fires the ball over Sanchez, the keeper rattles it. The contact was fairly minimal, but a penalty is not unreasonable.

It’s a bright spot for Sanchez, who saves the penalty.

Reservation 6, 38min

Our first booking of the evening for dissident.

Some context is useful here. The threshold for dissent — talking back, protesting excessively or verbally abusing the referee — was lowered last season. The updated Premier League rules mean that if more than one player approaches the referee, at least one of those players, and potentially more, will automatically receive a yellow card. The league has stuck to that approach to cracking down on dissent this season.

Bournemouth’s Adam Smith is shown a yellow card, possibly because he demanded that Sanchez be sent off.

Reservation 7, 52min

“He’s run out of space on that piece of paper,” said Peacock’s match commentator Chris Wise as Taylor punished yet more verbal outbursts, this time from Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson.

The Senegalese made a plea for arms to Taylor, but he had no intention of showing mercy.

Reservation 8, 57min

Colwill rises to the challenge as Antoine Semenyo pulls off a knockdown, but the defender gets both the ball and the man. That’s three of Chelsea’s four defenders in the book.

Players question Colwill’s card, not pictured (Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images)

Reservation 9, 57min

“There’s another yellow card, given by Anthony Taylor,” Townsend said. “So many small, unnecessary ones.”

And it looks a little moody from the referee, shown to Jadon Sancho for criticising the toss for a free-kick. Sancho does the praying-hands thing and grins as Taylor books him.

“He takes no prisoners for his dissenting opinion, Anthony Taylor,” former Arsenal striker Alan Smith told Sky Sports.

Reservation 10, 59min

The most impressive thing about Justin Kluivert’s yellow card here is the sheer determination, as he sprints a good 20 yards to catch Noni Madueke as Chelsea counterattack.

The danger has passed, because a professional foul is handled well.

Then no less than 20 minutes pass without a booking…

Reservation 11, 80min

A vintage yellow card for Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi to get us back on a chaotic track, flying straight through the back of Joao Felix, who lets out a scream of pain.

The Argentine tries to ask for clemency, but is given no chance.

Reservation 12, 87min

A change of pace as Taylor treats us to a booking for neither foul nor resistance, this time it’s youthful exuberance that gets Chelsea’s Renato Veiga into trouble.

The 21-year-old broke the rules by jumping over the advertising board and into the crowd to celebrate Nkunku’s goal with supporters.

Booking 13, 90min+1

Chelsea substitute Joao Felix makes an energetic cameo…

…as he decides to chase after Alex Scott before shoving his hand in the Bournemouth man’s face.

Booking 14, 90 min+6

One last punishment for the dissenting opinion, then. Semenyo makes sure we leave with a long groan.

Part of his tirade even gets smeared on Taylor’s back, while the referee might want to give him the benefit of the doubt. Taylor whines for 20 seconds before turning around and delivering his record-breaking final flair.

“You guys are an embarrassment,” chant the frustrated Bournemouth fans.

And that’s it. Fourteen players booked — and that’s not even counting the players of both head coaches, Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca. Probably Football Association fines for both teams and a blacked-out room for Taylor to lie down in.

(Top photo: Robert Sanchez receives a booking; Ryan Hiscott via Getty Images)