David Moyes has defended Idrissa Gueye after the Everton midfielder was sent off for slapping teammate Michael Keane during their Premier League match against Manchester United on November 24, 2025. The incident occurred in the 13th minute of the game at Old Trafford, after Gueye made a poor pass that led to a chance for Manchester United.

Following the miscue, a heated argument arose between Gueye, 36, and Keane, and Gueye slapped Keane in the face. Referee Tony Harrington immediately issued a red card to Gueye for violent conduct, a decision confirmed by VAR. Gueye had to be restrained by teammates, including goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and Iliman Ndiaye, as he left the pitch. The Premier League confirmed that Gueye was sent off for "a clear strike to the face of Keane".

Despite being down to 10 men, Everton secured a 1-0 victory over Manchester United, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scoring the winning goal in the 29th minute. This win marked Everton's first Premier League victory at Old Trafford since 2013. It was also the first time Manchester United had lost a home Premier League game after an opponent received a red card.

Speaking after the game, David Moyes said he likes his players "fighting each other". He stated, "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". Moyes also suggested that the referee "could have taken a bit longer to think about it" before sending Gueye off. He acknowledged the rules state that striking a teammate could lead to trouble.

Moyes said that Gueye apologized to his teammates after the game. "He's apologised for the sending off, he's praised the players and thanked them for it and apologised". According to reports, Gueye also had a message for his teammates after the match.

Manchester United's manager, Ruben Amorim, echoed Moyes's sentiment, stating, "Fighting is not a bad thing. Fighting doesn't mean that they don't like each other. Fighting is that you lose the ball [so] I will fight you because we will suffer a goal". He also disagreed with the sending off.

Gueye's red card marks the first time a player has been sent off for fighting a teammate in the Premier League since Ricardo Fuller of Stoke City slapped Andy Griffin in December 2008 during a match against West Ham. Other instances of Premier League in-fighting include Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer of Newcastle brawling during a game against Aston Villa in April 2005.

Due to the red card for violent conduct, Gueye will serve a three-match ban. However, he is expected to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations in early December, potentially keeping him away from Everton for a couple of months.

Idrissa Gueye is a Senegalese professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Everton. He began his career in Senegal before moving to France and then England. He has also played for Paris Saint-Germain. Gueye has been capped over 100 times for Senegal and was a member of the team that won the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.