Everton is dirtiest football team!

London: Everton have been handed the dubious distinction of being the 'dirtiest' Premier League team after a study on the all-time cards and fouls. The website used a points system to rate clubs for transgressions on the pitch since the start of the Premier League in 1992.

Teams collected 25 points for a red card, five for a yellow card and one for each foul. The Merseyside club have accumulated 21,211 points in 962 games to top the list while Swindon Town are at the bottom with 486 points, although their tally is calculated after 42 games in the inaugural season which featured 22 teams.

Everton are one of only six teams to have contested every season of the Premier League along with Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. All six teams were in the top ten for total 'dirty' points.

Derby County are the dirtiest team on average with nearly 26 points per game. They also have more yellow cards (2.02) and fouls per game (14.28) than any other team.

Blackburn Rovers' 1998-99 season was the dirtiest in Premier League history as they racked up eight red cards and 80 yellow cards with 725 fouls while Coventry City had the cleanest campaign in 1993-94 with only 12 yellow cards.

The study also revealed that the overall number of fouls have fallen since the league began and last season saw the fewest dismissals since 1993-94.

Meanwhile, Merseyside Police are investigating the brawl that broke out on the pitch between players from Everton and Olympique Lyon in the Europa League on Thursday.

Everton have banned one individual after reviewing footage of the incident and would also register a formal complaint against him with Merseyside Police, the Premier League side said in a statement on Friday.

Everton captain Ashley Williams sparked off the incident in the 64th minute when he shoved Anthony Lopes into the advertising hoardings after the Lyon goalkeeper had collected the ball from a corner.

An all-out melee ensued with players from both sides getting involved, while at least one fan behind the goal was caught on video throwing punches at the Lyon players before stewards intervened.

"Merseyside Police can confirm officers are investigating following a disturbance on the pitch during a football match between Everton and Lyon at GoodisonPark last night, Thursday 19th October," the force said in a statement on Friday.

"Detectives will be reviewing footage and speaking to witnesses to establish what, if any, offences have been committed." Everton manager Ronald Koeman blamed poor refereeing for the scuffle near the Gwladys Street End stand and the Merseyside club are likely to face disciplinary action by UEFA after the incident.

"I think the irritation grows in the game for our players and in my opinion that was the problem by the referee," Koeman, whose team lost 2-1, said after the match. "The referee was Dutch but he didn't do anything against the theatre of some of the Lyon players. (Lyon captain Nabil) Fekir in the first half dived 10 times.

"I understand with my players, that comes out of frustration. I don't know what happened but I can understand it." Defender Williams, who scored an equaliser for Everton minutes after the incident, and Lyon striker Bertrand Traore, who scored the winner for his side, received yellow cards.