Internal Clash Leads to Early Red Card
Everton shocked the Premier League after beating Manchester United 1–0 at Old Trafford with only ten men. The twist came early. In the 13th minute, Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane failed to connect on a simple pass inside their box. The mistake handed Bruno Fernandes a shooting chance.
Right after the danger passed, Gueye confronted Keane. Keane pushed him during the argument. Gueye reacted and hit Keane’s face. The referee Harrington stood nearby and saw everything clearly. He immediately gave the 36-year-old midfielder a straight red card.
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Moyes Surprisingly Pleased With His Players Fight
Despite the embarrassment, Everton stayed focused. They defended with discipline and later scored a stunning goal to seal the win. For David Moyes, this match became his first Premier League away victory at Old Trafford after 18 attempts. His mood was almost joyful.
He even joked after the match:
“You know what I like I like my players fighting”
Moyes explained his view. He wants strong personalities. He wants players who refuse to accept mistakes. If a team wants toughness and a winning mentality, he believes a little internal fire helps. Many bettors on 12BET Malaysia praised this attitude. To follow more insights, just login 12BET.
A Rare Case in Premier League History
According to OPTA, this is only the third Premier League red card caused by teammates fighting since the 2000–01 season. The previous two happened in:
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2005 Newcastle: Bowyer and Dyer were both sent off
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2008 Stoke City: Ricardo Fuller slapped Andy Griffin
Both teams lost those matches. However, Everton became the first team to win after such a red card.
Gueye later apologized in the dressing room. His teammates applauded him for taking responsibility. The Senegal veteran said he must control his emotions better next time. His teammate Dewsbury-Hall added that this incident would help the team grow.
Experts Split on Severity of the Incident
Some pundits argued the clash was mild. Gary Neville said Gueye’s anger peaked only after the red card, and he felt a yellow might have been enough.
However, refereeing experts disagreed. Former assistant Darren Cann explained that hitting the face is clear violent conduct. Harrington had an unobstructed view, so the red card was correct. Keane only pushed Gueye’s chest, which does not count as violent behavior.
Former Everton manager Roberto Martínez said the incident shocked him. But he agreed the referee followed the rules.
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