STATS: Roughed up. Chelsea’s Eden Hazard & Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling

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Statistics show that Chelsea’s Eden Hazard and Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling are the most fouled players in the Premier League.

If you take the decision to become a tricky playmaker, you accept the risks which come with the job.

Those blessed with match-winning ability will inevitably be targeted by opposition defences, with it important to cut their supply line off at source.

That means crunching into tackles and stopping said players from shining by any means necessary.

Rules may have to be bent, and broken at times, but that is part and parcel of professional football.

The very best will continue to bounce back from the knocks, with the attention they are given considered to be the ultimate mark of respect.

They are seen to be the danger men and are aware of the need to continuously dust themselves down and go again when they are left in a crumpled heap by a no-nonsense centre-half or back-peddling full-back.

Who, though, are the Premier League’s most marked men? Who draws the most fouls from concerned rivals?

Chelsea forward Eden Hazard is a regular towards the top of such charts, with the Belgium international the brightest attacking star in the Stamford Bridge galaxy.

Raheem Sterling is another who often figures prominently in run downs of this nature, with his pace causing panic and alarm among Premier League back fours.

Aston Villa’s Gabriel Agbonlahor is another rocket-fuelled performer who needs to be halted before breaking into his stride, while Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur midfielders Santi Cazorla and Erik Lamela will carefully pick apart any side that fails to contain their creative spark by hook or by crook.