Everton pulled off one of the most dramatic and unlikely victories of the Premier League season on Monday night, defeating Manchester United 1-0 at Old Trafford despite Idrissa Gueye being sent off for slapping his own teammate Michael Keane in a bizarre moment that stunned players, officials, and fans alike.
The extraordinary incident unfolded in the 13th minute when referee Tony Harrington showed Gueye a straight red card after VAR confirmed the midfielder had struck Keane in the face during a heated disagreement.
It marked the first time since 2008 that a Premier League player has been dismissed for fighting with a teammate.
United supporters expected their side to overwhelm Everton with the man advantage, but the home team looked hesitant and uninspired throughout.
Instead, it was the 10-man visitors who found the breakthrough, courtesy of a sensational solo goal from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the 29th minute. Receiving the ball outside the box, Dewsbury-Hall surged forward, gliding past Bruno Fernandes and Leny Yoro before curling a superb strike into the top corner.
Despite dominating possession, United created little of note. Jordan Pickford denied Fernandes with a sharp save late in the first half and later produced a brilliant stop to keep out Joshua Zirkzee’s powerful header in the closing stages.
Ruben Amorim, marking one year since his first match as United manager, made several changes in the second half—bringing on Mason Mount, Kobbie Mainoo, and Diogo Dalot—but none shifted the momentum. United’s attack remained blunt, and frustration grew around Old Trafford as Everton dug in defensively.
Everton also suffered an early setback of their own when captain Seamus Coleman was forced off in the 10th minute, but the team responded with resilience and discipline following Gueye’s unexpected dismissal.
The Premier League Match Centre later wrote on X: “The referee’s call of red card to Gueye for violent conduct was checked and confirmed by VAR, with the action deemed to be a clear strike to the face of Keane.”
United entered the match on a five-game unbeaten run, but their momentum came to a halt as Everton held firm to secure a remarkable and hard-earned victory.
