Everton teammates Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane have emphatically buried the hatchet after their shocking on-pitch confrontation during Monday night's Premier League clash at Old Trafford.
From Red Card to Reconciliation
The pair were photographed on Thursday at the club's Finch Farm training ground, sharing a laugh while each wearing a single boxing glove, a clear and light-hearted reference to the incident that saw Gueye receive a straight red card just 13 minutes into the match. The Senegalese midfielder, 36, was dismissed by referee Tony Harrington after striking his own teammate, Michael Keane, in the face following a dispute over a careless pass.
Match-winner Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall later described the altercation as a 'moment of madness'. Despite playing with ten men for the vast majority of the game, Everton staged a remarkable 1-0 victory over Manchester United, with Dewsbury-Hall scoring the decisive goal in the 29th minute.
Apologies and Accountability
Gueye moved quickly to make amends, first apologising to the squad in the dressing room after the match. He then took to social media on Monday night to issue a public mea culpa. 'I want to apologise first to my team-mate Michael Keane,' his Instagram post read. 'I take full responsibility for my reaction... 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.'
The club itself signalled the end of the drama with a simple social media post on Thursday featuring the picture of the smiling duo. 'All love,' the message said, accompanied by a blue heart emoji.
Manager's Reaction and Looking Ahead
Manager David Moyes offered a surprising perspective on the fiery exchange. While disappointed with the sending-off, the Scotsman revealed a part of him appreciated the passion. 'I like my players fighting each other, if someone didn't do the right action,' Moyes stated. 'If you want that toughness and resilience to get a result, you want someone to act on it. We've all been footballers, we get angry with our team-mates.'
He did, however, question the referee's quick decision to show a red card, suggesting official Tony Harrington could have 'taken a bit longer to think about it'.
With the internal conflict now resolved, Everton must prepare for their next challenge without the suspended Gueye. The Toffees, who have climbed to 11th in the Premier League table, are set to host Newcastle United at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday evening, hoping to build on their famous victory at Old Trafford.
