A flashpoint at Old Trafford stole the headlines as Idrissa Gueye was shown a straight red for striking teammate Michael Keane; yet Everton boss David Moyes offered an unexpected shrug, saying he “quite likes” the fire that flared inside his squad during their 1-0 victory over Manchester United.
The drama unfolded in the 13th minute with the score still level. After a near-miss from Bruno Fernandes, tempers boiled over between the two Everton players.
Keane twice pushed Gueye away; the Senegal midfielder then struck Keane across the face with an open hand. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford intervened, but referee Tony Harrington did not hesitate, a straight red for violent conduct, a decision later upheld by VAR as a clear strike to the face.
Rather than condemn the confrontation, Moyes framed it as evidence of the grit he wants in his dressing room.
“I quite like when my players have a fight,” the manager said, arguing that internal friction can be a sign of standards and resilience.
He defended the mentality that refuses to accept poor performance and praised the toughness that helped Everton grind out the result.
The Premier League Match Centre confirmed VAR reviewed and upheld the red card.
Under the laws of violent conduct, striking an opponent on the head or face with a hand is a sending-off offence unless the force is negligible. Reactions were split: United boss Ruben Amorim questioned the decision, while pundits and former officials offered contrasting takes.
Ex-official Darren Cann said the referee had an unobstructed view, and the red was correct; former players like Gary Neville felt a yellow might have sufficed.
Joe Hart suggested something had been simmering between the pair, while Jamie Carragher and Roberto Martinez noted the laws left little room for alternative outcomes.
Opta noted the rarity of the incident only the third recorded Premier League sending-off for a clash between teammates since 2000.
Despite being reduced to ten men for most of the match, Everton held on thanks to Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s 29th-minute strike.
The win marked back-to-back Premier League victories for Everton and gave Moyes his first away league triumph at Old Trafford after 17 previous attempts. Players described the Gueye–Keane episode as a “moment of madness” that the squad has put behind them, insisting the episode ultimately helped them grow.
Fans and commentators remain divided some calling the slap unforgivable, others arguing the punishment was harsh but Everton leave Manchester with three points, a bruised dressing room and a manager who, for now, seems content with the heat his players bring to the pitch.
