Everton ended their match week 12 fixture against Manchester United with 10 men after Senegalese international Idrissa Gana Gueye was sent off in the 13th minute of the game.
Idrissa Gana Gueye was sent off by referee Tony Harrington for unsportsmanlike conduct after his clash with teammate Michael Keane.
13 minutes into the game at Old Trafford on Monday, November 24, 2025, clashed in their own box after failing to clear a ball which led to a Bruno Fernandes shot whistling just past the post.
Gueye appeared frustrated that Michael Keane had not made an attempt to reach his pass and the two started shoving each other.
The midfielder then slapped his team-mate in the face, receiving a straight red card from referee Tony Harrington.
What do the laws say?
Violent conduct is defined by the Football Association as: “When a player uses or attempts to use excessive force or brutality against an opponent when not challenging for the ball, or against a team-mate, team official, match official, spectator or any other person, regardless of whether contact is made.
“In addition, a player who, when not challenging for the ball, deliberately strikes an opponent or any other person on the head or face with the hand or arm, is guilty of violent conduct unless the force used was negligible.”
The fact that Keane is Gueye’s team-mate, therefore, does not affect the decision. The action, clearly deliberate, would only have been excused by the law if the force had been “negligible”.
In this instance, Harrington and VAR decided it had met this threshold.
Meanwhile, Everton won the game 1-0 to move to the 11th position on the Premier League table.
JE
