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Mavropanos became the 118th Arsenal player to be sent off during Arsene Wenger's reign

  /  autty

When Konstantinos Mavropanos was shown a red card for pulling down Kelechi Iheancho in defeat at Leicester City on Wednesday night, the young defender joined the very extensive list of Arsenal players to do the walk of shame back to the dressing room under Arsene Wenger.

As the Frenchman prepares to step down after 22 years as manager, Mavropanos was the 118th - and likely the last - player to be sent off on Wenger's watch.

Mavropanos wasn't even born when Steve Bould became the first dismissal of the Wenger era, way back on November 27, 1996.

Wenger's best teams - notably those that won Premier League titles - always had a physical edge to them and many of the players certainly weren't shrinking violets.

During the course of the 2001-02 season, for example, when the Gunners won a Premier League and FA Cup Double, they picked up 12 red cards in all competition.

And few will be surprised to learn that Patrick Vieira, the no-nonsense midfield general so central to their achievements, was sent off more than anyone else during the Wenger era with 10.

Martin Keown was sent off seven times and Laurent Koscielny six under Wenger, while the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, Emmanuel Petit, Gilles Grimandi, Olivier Giroud, Ray Parlour and Robin van Persie all made the lonely walk off the field on four occasions.

While never considered a dirty side, except perhaps by Manchester United during the height of their rivalry, Arsenal's steely edge that was so key to their success often boiled over.

There is a noticeable reduction in red cards following Arsenal's last Premier League title win under Wenger, in 2004, and some will argue that Arsenal gradually lost their fight in the years hence.

No doubt to the frustration of Arsenal fans, 10 of these red cards have come against Chelsea, meaning their London rivals regularly profit from a numerical advantage.

On two occasions against Chelsea, two Arsenal players have lost their cool, making life far easier.

The Gunners have found themselves down to nine men five times during the Wenger era though on one, against Liverpool in the FA Cup in 2002, they won 1-0 and went on to win the competition.