In a dramatic turn of events during Everton's historic victory at Old Trafford, midfielder Idrissa Gueye was shown a red card for striking his own teammate, Michael Keane, in an extraordinary incident that overshadowed the match.
The Shocking On-Field Incident
The unprecedented moment occurred in the 13th minute of Monday's Premier League clash when Gueye, frustrated after misplacing a pass inside his own penalty area that gifted a chance to Manchester United's Bruno Fernandes, turned his anger towards defender Michael Keane. In a moment of pure frustration, the Senegalese international slapped his teammate across the face, prompting referee Tony Harrington to immediately dismiss him from the pitch.
This remarkable dismissal marked the first time in 17 years that a Premier League player had been sent off for striking a teammate, creating one of the most unusual red cards in recent football history.
Dressing Room Reconciliation
Despite being reduced to ten men for 85 minutes including stoppage time, Everton produced a heroic defensive performance to secure a 1-0 victory - only their second win at Old Trafford in 33 years and manager David Moyes's first success there as a visiting manager in 18 attempts.
Following the match, with the away dressing room buzzing from the impressive result, Gueye requested to address the entire squad. The 36-year-old midfielder offered a sincere apology to Keane specifically for the slap, and to the whole team for leaving them with such a challenging task at one of football's most formidable venues.
His teammates responded warmly to the apology, giving Gueye a round of applause for taking responsibility for his actions in the emotionally charged aftermath of their significant victory.
Significant Consequences for Everton
The incident carries serious implications for both player and club. Gueye will serve a mandatory three-match suspension, ruling him out of upcoming fixtures against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest.
Everton could potentially be without their influential midfielder until the new year, as he becomes eligible to return against Chelsea on 13 December, but may then be called up for Africa Cup of Nations duty with Senegal, whose first tournament match is scheduled for 23 December.
Despite Moyes's light-hearted comment that he "likes my players fighting each other", the club is likely to follow its standard disciplinary procedure for red cards, which typically includes financial penalties.
Gueye also took to social media to issue a public apology, stating: "I want to apologise first to Michael Keane. 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. Emotions can run high, but nothing justifies such behaviour. I'll make sure it never happens again."
