Everton manager David Moyes defended Idrissa Gueye after the midfielder was sent off in the 13th minute for striking teammate Michael Keane during their 1-0 Premier League victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The win marked Everton’s first league triumph at Old Trafford since 2013. Despite being reduced to ten men early in the match, Everton held firm, with Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s 29th-minute goal proving decisive. The result ended Manchester United’s five-game unbeaten run at home when facing opponents with a numerical disadvantage.
Gueye’s red card came after an altercation with Keane. After approaching his teammate, Gueye was pushed away and responded with a slap to Keane’s cheek, prompting the referee to dismiss him for violent conduct. Gueye later apologized to his teammates for his actions.
Moyes, however, was unbothered by the incident. “I like my players fighting each other if someone didn’t do the right action,” he said. “If you want toughness and resilience to get a result, you want someone to act on it. We’ve all been footballers, we get angry with our teammates. He’s apologized, praised the players, and thanked them for the effort.”
Everton’s head coach emphasized that such internal clashes reflect competitiveness rather than animosity. “Fighting doesn’t mean they don’t like each other. It’s about losing the ball and responding because conceding could be costly,” he explained.
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim shared similar sentiments about internal team clashes but stressed the need for perfection. “We are not at the point we should be to fight for the best positions. We have a lot to do and need to be perfect to win games. We were not perfect today,” he admitted.
In addition to the team drama, Everton also had to cope without Matheus Cunha, who was ruled out due to a head injury.
Despite the setback, Everton’s resilience and tactical discipline helped them secure a historic victory, while Manchester United remains on 18 points, two behind Crystal Palace in fifth place, a position that could still be enough for a Champions League spot.
