With Everton sitting 13th in the Premier League table through 12 matches in the 2025/26 season, the Toffees went to Old Trafford to take on eighth-placed Manchester United.
It had been a rocky start to the season for Everton, but a win the previous time out over Fulham drew them away from the relegation zone and into the middle of the table.
Defensively Everton have struggled to keep afloat against better teams in the English top flight, having conceded multiple goals to Liverpool, Man City, and Tottenham already this season. Thus, their structure against an in-form United side would be critical.
Unfortunately, a bit of friendly fire saw them reduced to 10 men early in the match, and left them with an uphill battle for the majority of the match.
It was midfielder Idrissa Gueye at the heart of the incident, with the Senegal international losing his cool and seeing his side forced to play against a rising tide the rest of the way.
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Why was Idrissa Gueye sent off for Everton against Man United?
In the 13th minute of Everton's match on Monday against Manchester United, Idrissa Gueye was shown a straight red card by referee Tony Harrington.
After an attacking chance for Man United which saw Bruno Fernandes miss wide with a shot towards the far post, Gueye got in the face of his teammate Michael Keane, which resulted in some pushing and shoving.
There was initial confusion as to what the dismissal was for. Scraps between teammates of this level are rare, and those that result in disciplinary action from the referee are even more uncommon. It was unclear at first whether the card was for a physical altercation, or whether it was down to something Gueye said.
According to the Premier League Match Centre, Gueye was dismissed for "a clear strike to the face of Keane."
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Everton's Idrissa Gana Gueye is shown a straight red card after a scuffle with HIS OWN TEAMMATE, Michael Keane. 😳 pic.twitter.com/F1DyaIOqjC
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) November 24, 2025
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Will Idrissa Gueye be suspended for red card?
While it's a bit unconventional given the incident involved a teammate instead of an opponent, the red card to Idrissa Gueye was for violent conduct.
Thus, his dismissal will come with an automatic three-match suspension.
While a red card for such aggression outside the run of play would often come with an additional suspension on top of the requisite three games, there's a high likelihood that this particular incident does not.
The tussle was tame in the end, and it was even a bit surprising that Gueye was sent off for the action. Adding on additional matches to the requisite three-game ban would feel harsh.
However, it could be quite some time now before Gueye returns to the field for Everton. Between the impending suspension for his red card, and the subsequent absence for international duty with Senegal at the Africa Cup of Nations, he will be missing for an extended period of time.
The three-match ban would see him miss at least games against Newcastle (November 29) Bournemouth (December 2), and Nottingham Forest (December 6).
Should the ban remain at three games, he could potentially return for Everton's road match against Chelsea on December 13. However, with AFCON beginning on December 21, and Senegal set to contest their opening match on December 23, he may have left by then to meet up with his international teammates and prepare for the competition. Then, he would be unavailable for club duty until Senegal are eliminated from the tournament, with the final set to be played on January 18.