In a surprising turn of events, Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye was shown a red card just 13 minutes into a match against Manchester United for slapping his teammate Michael Keane. This unusual incident left Everton playing with 10 men at Old Trafford for the majority of the match.
Remarkably, Everton pulled off a surprising victory, despite being a man down for more than 80 minutes. The decisive goal came from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the first half, allowing David Moyes and his side to defend their lead successfully.
The incident that triggered Gueye’s dismissal became the main talking point of the match, marking the first time since 2008 that a player in the Premier League was sent off for fighting a teammate.
After a misplayed pass allowed United’s Bruno Fernandes a chance on goal, Gueye reacted angrily by slapping Keane. Referee Tony Harrington immediately issued a red card, later confirmed by VAR.
Teammates Jordan Pickford and Iliman Ndiaye had to intervene as Gueye made his way off the field, reportedly trying to approach Keane, who was still upset with him.
Though Gueye’s action was not overtly aggressive, the rules state that players can face dismissal for “striking an opponent or any person on the head or face with their hand or arm, unless the force used was negligible.”
Gary Neville on Sky Sports expressed his disagreement with the red card, suggesting it could have been resolved with a yellow card instead. Jamie Carragher echoed this sentiment, questioning whether the referee could have managed the situation better by speaking to the players involved.
However, the Premier League upheld the referee’s decision, stating that Gueye’s actions constituted a clear strike to Keane’s face.
Gueye’s red card left Everton struggling at the beginning of the match (Getty)
This incident drew comparisons to previous cases of in-fighting in the Premier League, including Stoke’s Ricardo Fuller slapping his captain Andy Griffin in December 2008 and an infamous altercation between Newcastle teammates Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer in April 2005.
The Old Trafford incident did not escalate to the level of the Bowyer-Dyer fight of 2005 (Getty)
Although Gueye’s slap did not escalate to the level of those past incidents, it placed Everton in a precarious position at Old Trafford. Nonetheless, Dewsbury-Hall managed to score a stunning goal that gave the 10-man team a 1-0 lead they maintained through a resolute effort from the players.
This victory marked a significant achievement for Moyes, who celebrated his first win as an away manager at Old Trafford, acknowledging his players’ tenacity and commending their fighting spirit: “I like my players fighting each other,” he stated.
Moyes also revealed that Gueye had expressed remorse to Keane and the rest of the team, and he felt the referee could have exercised more discretion. “If nothing had happened, I don’t think anyone would have been surprised,” he remarked.
David Moyes’s team celebrated a noteworthy victory despite the early chaos (Reuters)
Moyes emphasized, “The rules state that if you slap your own player, you could get in trouble, but there’s another side: I appreciate my players showing passion if someone makes a mistake. You need that toughness to see out a result.”
As Gueye faces a three-match suspension due to the violent conduct ruling, he is also expected to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations in early December, which could delay his return to play for Everton.
Following the match, Gueye took to social media to apologize for his actions. He stated, “I would like to first apologize to my teammate Michael Keane, and take full responsibility for my reaction. I also express my apologies to my teammates, the staff, our fans, and the club. This incident does not reflect my character or values. While emotions can run high, nothing justifies such behavior. I assure everyone it will not happen again.”