Daijiworld Media Network - Manchester
Manchester, Nov 25: In an extraordinary Premier League twist at Old Trafford on Monday, Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye was sent off just 13 minutes into the match after shockingly slapping his own teammate, defender Michael Keane, during a heated on-field argument.
Referee Tony Harrington spotted Gueye striking Keane in the face after a disagreement sparked by a misplaced pass inside Everton’s penalty area, which had gifted Manchester United’s Bruno Fernandes a scoring chance. Harrington wasted no time in brandishing a straight red card for violent conduct.
VAR reviewed the incident and upheld the decision, calling it a “clear strike to the face”. A furious Gueye had to be restrained by goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and forward Iliman Ndiaye as he attempted to continue confronting Keane.
The dismissal forced manager David Moyes into an early tactical reshuffle, coming just minutes after captain Seamus Coleman exited with an injury. Speaking after the match, Moyes said,
“I didn’t think there was anything in it. I was annoyed they were challenging each other, but in a way, it showed they cared. Gueye has apologised to the dressing room. We move on.”
Despite going down to ten men with the game still at 0-0, Everton displayed remarkable resilience. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall put the visitors ahead with a superb curling finish from outside the box soon after the red card. Everton then produced a spirited defensive performance, holding off sustained Manchester United pressure throughout the second half to clinch a stunning upset victory.
Dewsbury-Hall described the moment as “a moment of madness”, adding that Gueye apologised to the entire squad after full-time.
“We could easily have crumbled, but instead it made us grow as a team,” he said.
On-field clashes between teammates are rare but not unheard of. Past incidents include Stoke City’s Ricardo Fuller slapping captain Andy Griffin in 2008, Newcastle duo Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer being sent off for fighting each other in 2005, and Blackburn pair David Batty and Graeme Le Saux clashing during a Champions League match in 1995.
Everton’s gritty three points at Old Trafford — achieved despite internal chaos and playing a man down for 77 minutes — will go down as one of the club’s most dramatic wins of recent times.