Controversial Red Card Incidents in Premier League: Gueye’s Clashing with Keane

omidbasir- In a striking incident reminiscent of Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer’s infamous clash in 2005, Idrissa Gueye faced dismissal during Monday night’s match against Everton for a confrontation with teammate Michael Keane. The Premier League swiftly clarified the referee’s decision, stating that the red card for Gueye was confirmed by VAR due to a clear strike to Keane’s face.

The Premier League match center shared the details on social media, emphasizing that the officials had deemed Gueye’s actions to constitute violent conduct. Sky Sports commentator Gary Neville expressed his astonishment at the turn of events while commending Everton’s goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford, for attempting to defuse the situation.

Neville remarked, “There was a coming together between him and Michael Keane. Such incidents can appear unsightly, especially when involving teammates. Idrissa Gueye approached Michael Keane, who did not retaliate significantly. I believe Jordan Pickford handled the situation commendably.”

Reactions on social media reflected a mix of disbelief and criticism. User @agbnufc_ likened the incident to the Bowyer-Dyer clash, while @ChelsChris03 remarked, “That is the softest red card I’ve ever seen. If it were two players from United, it wouldn’t have been a red card.”

Comments ranged from shock, with @0xJonnyDee calling Gueye a “moron” for slapping a teammate, to skepticism about the red card’s validity, with @ViscogliosiLuca questioning whether it warranted such punishment. Others, like @mevans_11, suggested that a yellow card would have sufficed, particularly given that it was a teammate involved.

According to BBC Sport, both Arsenal and Everton have accumulated the highest number of red cards in Premier League history, totaling 110. Notably, Gueye’s dismissal marked the first instance of a player being red-carded for fighting a teammate since Stoke City’s Ricardo Fuller and Andy Griffin were sent off in December 2008.

The laws on violent conduct stipulate that striking an opponent or any person on the head or face warrants a sending-off unless the force is considered negligible. Neville, reflecting on the incident, argued that the situation could have been resolved with a yellow card instead, stating, “Was it negligible? That’s the question. I believe it was negligible; there was little to that incident at all.”

As the Premier League schedule progresses, Ruben Amorim’s United will visit Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Sunday, while David Moyes’ Everton will host Newcastle United the day before. Following this, the Red Devils will face lowly West Ham next Thursday, and the Toffees will play away against Bournemouth two days prior.