The Premier League match between Manchester United and Everton has given headaches to the clubs. First, naturally, to United, who despite their number superiority for 73 minutes, they were unable to convert one of their 23 shots into a goal. And Everton, despite their 0-1 victory at Old Trafford, had the shocking image of seeing one of their own sent off with a direct red card... after slapping a teammate.
Idrissa Gana Gueye, 36-year-old Senegalese midfielder, confronted teammate Michael Keane after what seems to be a sporting misunderstanding: Gueye made a pass expecting Keane to receive it, but instead United player Bruno Fernandes took the loose ball and shot, missing. When Gueye went to reprimand his teammate, he seemingly slaps him in the face, and the referee showed him a red card.
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Gueye later apologised through Instagram, knowing that he is possibly facing a longer sanction. "I want to apologise first to my team-mate Michael Keane. I also apologise to my team-mates, 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."
However, Everton manager David Moyes said he "quite like when my players have a fight", explaining that he wants his players to be tough and "don't want them to accept someone not doing well enough".