by Everton survived an astonishing moment of madness at Old Trafford on Monday when Idrissa Gueye was sent off for slapping teammate Michael Keane to beat Manchester United 1-0.
Senegalese midfielder Gueye was given his marching orders by referee Tony Harrington in the 13th minute after he put his hand in Keane’s face following an angry argument.
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The home crowd expected waves of attack but United failed to take advantage and proved toothless against David Moyes’ struggling side.
Instead, it was the ten-man visitors who took the initiative thanks to a wonderful goal from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall in the 29th minute.
Dewsbury-Hall received the ball midway through United’s half and charged towards goal, beating Bruno Fernandes and Leny Yoro before directing the ball into the top corner.
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United, missing injured strikers Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha, huffed and puffed but were unable to find an equalizer despite having 25 shots on goal to Everton’s three.
Goalscorer Dewsbury-Hall said about the red card incident that Gueye had apologized.
“It was just a moment of madness,” he told Sky Sports.
“It was obviously avoidable. All I can say is that Idrissa apologized to all of us at half-time and did his part.”
Former United manager Moyes, who celebrated his first win as a visiting coach at Old Trafford at the 18th attempt, said he was “incredibly proud” of his players.
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“We were often close but didn’t quite manage to get over the finish line,” he said.
“But tonight, incredibly, we got to the finish line with 10 men, which was probably the hardest way to get a good result.”
– Toothless united –
Ruben Amorim, celebrating the first anniversary of his first game as United manager, made several changes in the second half and frantically searched for an equaliser, but his side still lacked penetration despite dominating possession.
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Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford saved a powerful header from Joshua Zirkzee with just over ten minutes remaining and Everton held on for their first win at Old Trafford since 2013, with United being booed.
Previously, the visitors suffered a major blow in the 10th minute when they lost captain Seamus Coleman.
But things got even worse three minutes later when a barely believable argument broke out between Gueye and Keane.
Gueye is the first Premier League player since 2008 to be sent off for an altercation with a teammate.
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The Premier League Match Center posted on
A bitterly disappointed Amorim, seeking his fifth successive home win, said his side lacked intensity.
“You can feel immediately when we start the game in the first minute, we can feel when we are at the highest level in terms of intensity and when we are not,” he said. “We can’t win games this way.”
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He added: “I’m really frustrated with the way we played the game, especially at home, especially when I look at the table, understanding what happened to the other clubs this week.”
jw/ewd
