Idrissa Gueye Sent Off for Violent Conduct in Everton’s Victory Over Manchester United

omidbasir- MANCHESTER, England — Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye was sent off for violent conduct merely 13 minutes into their Premier League match against Manchester United on Monday, following an incident where he slapped teammate Michael Keane.

The dismissal occurred when referee Tony Harrington penalized Gueye for striking Keane in the face during an argument early in the first half at Old Trafford. The altercation was triggered by a misplaced pass from Gueye to Keane within Everton’s penalty area, which led to a scoring opportunity for Bruno Fernandes.

Harrington promptly issued a red card to Gueye, who had to be restrained by teammates Jordan Pickford and Iliman Ndiaye as he attempted to continue the dispute with Keane. The Premier League Match Centre confirmed that the red card was validated by VAR, with the incident classified as a clear strike to Keane’s face.

The incident forced manager David Moyes to make further adjustments to his lineup, occurring just three minutes after Seamus Coleman’s first Premier League start of the season was cut short due to an injury.

At the time of Gueye’s expulsion, the score was still 0-0, but shortly after, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall put Everton ahead 1-0 with an exquisite curled finish from the edge of the area, despite their one-player disadvantage.

Remarkably, Everton managed to maintain their lead against Manchester United throughout the entire second half, ultimately claiming an unexpected three points at Old Trafford.

This incident is not an isolated case, as there have been previous instances of teammates clashing on the pitch. Notably, Stoke City’s Ricardo Fuller slapped teammate and captain Andy Griffin during a match against West Ham on December 28, 2008. Similarly, in 2005, Newcastle teammates Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer were involved in a confrontation during a Premier League game against Aston Villa, resulting in both players receiving red cards. Additionally, Blackburn Rovers’ David Batty and Graeme Le Saux engaged in a heated argument during a Champions League match against Spartak Moscow in 1995.