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Thriving in the English Premier League is no cakewalk, even for the most skilled players in the business. Talent aside, it requires perseverance, determination, and, most importantly, obedience to make it big in the most demanding footballing league on the planet.
The coaches who oversee the top 20 clubs in England demand absolutely everything from their players. Even the slightest of deviations can cause them to go nuclear, compelling them to ax even their biggest players without notice.
Today, we will take a look at five top Premier League players who were pushed off the team for disciplinary breaches. Now, without further ado, let’s get to it.
#5 Jack Grealish — Manchester City
Jack Grealish was dropped by Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola after getting too carried away with his celebrations in December 2021. Grealish, who signed for City for a £100 million fee in August 2021, starred in a 7-0 thrashing of Leeds United on December 14. After the match, he was seen partying in the city center.
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It has been reported that coach Pep Guardiola was not impressed with the condition in which he reported for December 15’s recovery session (via The Athletic). As a result, he was not on the squad list for City’s 4-0 win over Newcastle United on December 19.
The Englishman, who has not required any disciplinary sanctions this season, must be careful not to hamper his streak during the upcoming holiday season. Guardiola is rather demanding when it comes to discipline, and might unhesitantly drop him again if required.
#4 Phil Foden — Manchester City
Alongside his compatriot Jack Grealish, Phil Foden was also suspended for Manchester City’s 4-0 win over Newcastle United on December 19. Foden, too, partied wildly with Grealish and was supposedly not in the best shape when he appeared for the recovery session the following day. Foden received a one-match suspension for his actions in the Premier League.
When asked about the absences of two notable members of the teamsheet, Guardiola revealed (via The Athletic):
“At Christmas time, I pay a lot of attention to behavior on and off the pitch. And when off the pitch isn’t proper, they’re not going to play.
“We have to be focused all the time because of distractions at Christmas time and everything that happens — you have to still be focused.”
#3 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang — Arsenal
Once the captain of Premier League giants Arsenal, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang spent a prolonged spell on the touchline due to a disciplinary breach in late 2021. On December 14, 2021, the Premier League side confirmed that they had stripped Aubameyang of his captaincy due to disciplinary reasons.
The club only cited disciplinary breach as the cause for his dismissal, but it was reported that Aubameyang was suspended after failing to return in time from his home (via SportingNews). With COVID-19-enforced restrictions in place, his late return forced him to sit out Arsenal’s next training session.
The dismissal marked the end of Aubameyang’s spell at Arsenal, with the two parties eventually agreeing to part ways on the deadline day of the 2022 winter transfer window. Aubameyang signed for Barcelona as a free agent hours later and spent the remainder of the 2021-22 season at Camp Nou. Earlier this summer, he returned to the Premier League, signing for Chelsea.
#2 Antony — Manchester United
Manchester United winger Antony produced an audacious piece of skill in the 3-0 Europa League win over Sheriff Tiraspol on October 27. With the game goalless at 0-0, the Brazilian skillfully spun the ball around and went for a deceiving layoff to his teammate Casemiro. His pass was poor and harmlessly went out of play.
After the match against Sheriff, Antony received criticism for his needless skill, with coach Erik ten Hag vouching to correct his approach (via Goal). The Brazilian was absent from the squad for United’s 1-0 win over West Ham United on October 30. While Ten Hag has claimed that his sudden absence resulted from an injury, it has been speculated that it was due to that particular play against Sheriff.
Irrespective of whether or not it was a disciplinary suspension, the player should return to the fold in Thursday’s (November 3) Europa League Group E deciding clash against Real Sociedad.
#1 Cristiano Ronaldo — Manchester United
Over the course of his career, Cristiano Ronaldo has served as an icon of professionalism and discipline. But now, in his twilight, the Portuguese is struggling to maintain the same standards. Ronaldo, 37, was suspended for Manchester United's 1-1 Premier League draw with Chelsea on October 22 for his behavior on the previous matchday.
Ten Hag kept Ronaldo on the bench for the 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur on October 19. The superstar refused to come off the bench when called upon in the second half and stormed down the tunnel before the full-time whistle.
It was not the first time that Ronaldo had left the game before the full-time whistle. He did the same in a pre-season clash against Rayo Vallecano.
After serving his one-game suspension, Ronaldo returned and scored in a 3-0 victory over Europa League rivals Sheriff Tiraspol on Thursday (October 27).
