When it comes to women's football, female players are often seen as more mild-mannered than male.
This may be because they don't tackle quite as aggressively - or so it appears given they don't roll around on the floor 'injured' following questionable tackles.
Football is a traditionally male sport. This means men have had the opportunity to assert their primitive dominance in front of a crowd. This has sometimes come in the form of 'nasty' tackles.
This has created overarching masculinity to the game - one which dictates that male footballers act manly.
Are there statistics?
One way of establishing the level of aggression on the pitch is to look at the number of red and yellow cards given.
To use Arsenal FC as an example - the men's team have received 63 yellow cards in 28 games this season. This averages at 2.25 cards per game. The women's team have been given 18 cards in 18 games.
The men have committed 307 fouls - 7.4 per game and the women 101 - 5.6 per game.
Is there violence in the women's game?
The short answer is 'yes'.
Whilst there is often less drama in women's games, there are still notable cases of violence.
Last year, a fight broke out in a lower-league clash in Dundee. After the final whistle, a player threw a punch and it turned into a brawl. The police were called and one player had to be taken into hospital.
On the pitch, there are some violent players, too. Elizabeth Lambert infamous for her 'nasty' style of play.
Can women handle it?
There's nothing to say that women can't handle a more violent style of play. In 2019, men and women joined forces for Soccer Aid. The male players didn't dial down their heavy tackles or take it easy on the female players. Nor did the women avoid tackling the men.
Both genders played quality football side-by-side.
So yes, women can handle it.
Have your say
Some people say they prefer women's football because it's less violent. What are your views on violence in the women's game?
