In a startling early-blow to the visiting squad, Idrissa Gana Gueye of Everton F.C. was shown a straight red card after just 13 minutes when he slapped his own teammate, Michael Keane, during the Premier League fixture at Manchester United’s Old Trafford.
The incident stemmed from a loose pass by Gueye inside the Everton penalty area which nearly allowed United to break through. In the ensuing heated exchange Keane pushed back, and Gueye responded by raising his hand and making contact with his teammate’s face. Referee Tony Harrington deemed it violent conduct and awarded the red card.
Despite going down to 10 men so early, virtually the entire match, the Toffees rallied impressively. They took the lead via Kiernan Dewsbury‑Hall’s clinical strike in the 29th minute and then defended resolutely to hold on to a 1-0 victory.
The win marked a rare triumph for Everton at Old Trafford and came despite the self-inflicted setback. Following the match, Gueye issued a public apology via Instagram, writing: “I want to apologise first to my teammate Michael Keane. I take full responsibility for my reaction. I also apologise to my teammates, 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. UTT.”
