Everton secured a surprising 1-0 victory against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday, but the match was overshadowed by a bizarre incident early in the game. Idrissa Gueye was sent off in the 13th minute after slapping his teammate, Michael Keane, during an on-field altercation. Despite playing with 10 men for over 80 minutes, Everton managed to hold on for the win, much to the delight of their manager, David Moyes.
The incident occurred after a loose pass from Gueye led to a scoring opportunity for Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes. Frustrated by the error, Gueye confronted Keane, and the two players squared up. In the heat of the moment, Gueye raised his hand and appeared to slap Keane in the face. Referee Tony Harrington immediately issued a red card to Gueye for violent conduct, a decision that was later upheld by VAR.
Despite the potentially damaging dismissal, Everton rallied and secured a lead in the first half, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scoring in the 29th minute. The team then demonstrated resilience and determination, successfully defending their lead against a strong Manchester United side.
Speaking after the match, David Moyes addressed the Gueye-Keane incident with a surprising remark: "I like my players fighting each other, if someone didn't do the right action. If you want that toughness and resilience to get a result, you want someone to act on it". He also added that Gueye had apologized to Keane and his teammates for his actions. However, Moyes expressed his belief that the referee might have acted too quickly in issuing the red card. "I thought the referee could have taken a bit longer to think about it," Moyes said. "I got told that the rules of the game [state] that if you slap your own player, you could be in trouble".
Gueye has since publicly apologized for his behavior. "I want to apologise first to my team-mate Michael Keane," he wrote on his Instagram account. "I take full responsibility for my reaction. I also apologise to my team-mates, the staff, the fans and the club. What happened does not reflect who I am or the values I stand for," Gueye stated.
The sending off marks the first time a player has been dismissed for fighting with a teammate in the Premier League since 2008 when Ricardo Fuller of Stoke City slapped Andy Griffin. Despite the controversy surrounding the red card, Everton's victory was their first at Old Trafford in the Premier League since 2013. The win moves them up the table and provides a significant boost to their morale.
