Why was Idrissa Gueye sent off against Man Utd after clash with teammate?

Tom Weber

• Updated: 24 Nov 2025 15:01 CST
• 4 min read

News

Everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye received one of the most bizarre red cards in Premier League history after a clash with teammate Michael Keane against Manchester United.

Man Utd versus Everton is a classic Premier League fixture, and the game on Monday certainly lived up to the billing. Even before kickoff, there were storylines aplenty.

David Moyes returned to his former club, Man Utd opened a new 6,000 capacity safe standing area - one of the largest in the Premier League - and the Red Devils' star forward Matheus Cunha was a late omission after a knock in training.

The clash started inauspiciously for Everton as club legend Seamus Coleman had to be substituted just a few minutes into the game. Four minutes later, however, things went from bad to much, much worse when midfielder Idrissa Gueye was shown a straight red card by referee Tony Harrington.

Confusion reigned initially because Gueye was not punished for any kind of interaction with an opponent. Instead, the 36-year-old was sent for an early shower after a run-in with teammate Michael Keane. So what happened?

Gueye sent off for slapping his own teammate

Shortly before the incident, Everton managed to stop a Man Utd attack. Rather than take the ball and run forward, Gueye elected to pass it into space just outside of his own box, thinking that Keane would come to collect it.

The former Man Utd man did not, however, and it wasn't a particularly good pass from Gueye either. This allowed Bruno Fernandes to run onto the ball and shoot at goal.

Nothing came of the chance, but Keane's inaction was enough for Gueye to figuratively - and, in the end, literally - see red. The Senegal international, a seasoned veteran who had not been sent off since 2017, completely lost his head at his teammate.

After a brief war of words, Keane pushed Gueye away, which prompted the 36-year-old to slap the defender. Goalkeeper Jordan Pickford rushed to the scene to separate the pair, but the damage had already been done.

Harrington calmly walked over to Gueye and showed him a red card. The irate midfielder took notice and continued to fume at Keane. He ultimately had to be ushered off the pitch by Pickford and compatriot Iliman Ndiaye.

As per Premier League rules, a slap constitutes violent conduct, regardless of whether it is targeted at an opponent or teammate, and warrants a red card from the referee.

Official guidance from the league reads as follows:

A player who is not challenging for the ball will be sent off if they

• use or attempt to use excessive force or brutality against an opponent, teammate, team official, match official, spectator or any other person, regardless of whether contact is made
• deliberately strike an opponent or any other person on the head or face with their hand or arm, unless the force used was negligible
• make a clear forward movement with their head resulting in contact with the head or face of an opponent or any other person, unless the force used was negligible
• clearly make forceful contact by holding or grabbing the throat/neck area, or gouges the eye of an opponent or any other person
• make a clear action to pull the hair of an opponent or any other person with force

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