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| Most red cards by Premier League refs | |
|---|---|
| Referee | Red cards |
| Mike Dean | 100 |
| Phil Dowd | 67 |
| Mike Riley | 66 |
| Graham Poll | 63 |
| Martin Atkinson | 58 |
Could he do it on a wet Tuesday night in Wolverhampton? Yes he could.
Referee Mike Dean etched his name in the record books by becoming the first referee to show 100 red cards in the Premier League.
There was no display of extravagance, and no celebration afterwards when he first pulled out a yellow card, and then showed the red to Manchester United's Ashley Young - the second time the 33-year-old has felt the full force of Dean's law.
The 50-year-old had been stuck on 99 marching orders for three months, having last brandished red in Burnley's 2-1 win at Huddersfield when he sent two men off.
But, 18 years after his first Premier League dismissal (Nolberto Solano of Newcastle, in case you were interested), "Mike Dean from the Wirral" has finally brought up the ton.
Here is a look at his landmark moment, the numbers behind the century and the reaction across social media...
Mike Dean (far right) approaches Ashley Young (far left) after the United player scythes down Diogo Jota - there is a sense of resignation etched on the face of Young's team-mate Chris Smalling
Then in one smooth motion comes Dean's historic moment - he keeps his cool despite the epic achievement
The card is then back in his pocket within seconds - for Dean it's now business as usual and on to the next 100
| Most red cards by Premier League refs | |
|---|---|
| Referee | Red cards |
| Mike Dean | 100 |
| Phil Dowd | 67 |
| Mike Riley | 66 |
| Graham Poll | 63 |
| Martin Atkinson | 58 |
| Teams Dean has shown most red cards to | |
|---|---|
| Teams | Red cards |
| Chelsea | 9 |
| Manchester City | 9 |
| Newcastle United | 7 |
| Arsenal | 6 |
| Stoke City | 5 |
| Tottenham | 5 |
| West Brom | 5 |
| Birmingham | 4 |
| Charlton | 4 |
| Manchester United | 4 |
| Sunderland | 4 |
| Players he has sent off twice in the Premier League |
|---|
| Andrew Cole |
| Richard Dunne |
| Laurent Koscielny |
| Fernando Torres |
| Mike Williamson |
| Ashley Young |
There was somewhat of a social media frenzy once the referee reached the landmark.
And while there was playful celebration of Dean's landmark on social media, a few managers have not been so kind about the whistle blower in the past.
"You know what you are" - Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino, after Tottenham's loss at Burnley in February
Pochettino was given a two-match touchline ban and fined £10,000 by the Football Association for his "aggressive" actions.
"I want to congratulate again, but this time it's Mike Dean. His performance was unbelievable." - former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, perhaps tinged with sarcasm after his side's 2-1 defeat against Sunderland in 2014
"You're a disgrace" - former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, after confronting the referee following his side's 1-1 draw against West Brom in December 2017
Wenger was given a three-match touchline ban and fined £40,000 by the FA after challenging Dean in the referee's changing room.
