Idrissa Gueye’s startling straight red for striking team-mate Michael Keane at Old Trafford thrust a rare and combustible moment into the spotlight — only the third Premier League sending-off for an offence against a colleague.
While such expulsions are exceptional, dressing-room flare-ups are far from unheard of. Here are some of the most notorious and unforgettable intra-squad clashes that have boiled over on the pitch.
Bruce Grobbelaar v Steve McManaman — September 1993
A Merseyside derby at Goodison Park turned ugly when Bruce Grobbelaar lost his temper with young Steve McManaman after a wayward clearance gifted Everton a goal. Words escalated into a shove as Grobbelaar grabbed McManaman and pushed him in the face. The confrontation ended with tempers cooling and McManaman stepping back, but the image of a keeper berating his team-mate lingered.
David Batty v Graeme le Saux — November 1995
On a bitter night in Moscow, David Batty and Graeme le Saux collided over a loose ball and erupted within minutes of kick-off. The clash was physical and costly: Le Saux punched Batty and broke his own hand in the process. The incident captured the raw, frozen-edge tension of a Champions League campaign gone wrong.
Lee Bowyer v Kieron Dyer — April 2005
Perhaps the Premier League’s most infamous dressing-room rupture, Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer traded blows in front of stunned fans at St James’ Park. With Newcastle already down to ten men and trailing 3-0, the pair’s brawl forced both off the field and sparked lengthy bans. The scenes — and the fallout — remain a benchmark for on-field team discord.
Emmanuel Adebayor v Nicklas Bendtner — January 2008
After a humiliating 5-1 defeat to Tottenham, tempers flared among Arsenal forwards Emmanuel Adebayor and Nicklas Bendtner. The spat left Bendtner bloodied and the dressing room atmosphere bruised, a bitter coda to an already painful night for the Gunners.
Ricardo Fuller v Andy Griffin — December 2008
Stoke’s clash at West Ham produced a dramatic twist when Andy Griffin’s slip allowed the hosts back into the game. Ricardo Fuller exploded, berating and then slapping his captain — an act that earned him a red card and left Stoke to rue a self-inflicted collapse as West Ham snatched a late winner.
Anwar El Ghazi v Tyrone Mings — September 2019
A goalless draw with West Ham saw Anwar El Ghazi and Tyrone Mings come to blows after the defender accused the winger of failing to track back. The altercation briefly threatened to derail the match, with El Ghazi even appearing to lunge for a headbutt before the pair patched things up at half-time.
Hugo Lloris v Son Heung-min — July 2020
Tensions boiled over at half-time when captain Hugo Lloris shoved Son Heung-min for not tracking back during a tight encounter with Everton. The shove sparked a furious reaction but was quickly forgotten as Spurs regrouped and held on for victory after the break.
Ben White v Oleksandr Zinchenko — January 2024
A late concession in a hard-fought win over Nottingham Forest saw Ben White and Oleksandr Zinchenko clash in a heated exchange. The confrontation was swiftly defused by staff, and manager Mikel Arteta later framed the incident as two players demanding excellence from each other.
Jack Robinson v Vinicius Souza — February 2024
Sheffield United’s defeat at Wolves featured a bizarre spat between Jack Robinson and Vinicius Souza that required separation and even a VAR check for a possible red card. No further action followed, and manager Chris Wilder dismissed the flare-up as the kind of friction that surfaces at clubs across the country.
Heat, passion and the fine line between unity and rupture
These episodes share a common thread: intense pressure, high stakes and personalities colliding in the heat of competition. Some bust-ups have ended in red cards and suspensions, others in bruised egos and locker-room apologies. In every case, the incidents reveal how thin the line can be between fierce team spirit and combustible discord — and how quickly a single moment can become part of a club’s folklore.
