What decision should Everton make on Gueye and Keane after ‘unacceptable’ Man Utd spat? | OneFootball

Following the incredible turn of events at Old Trafford on Monday evening, TEAMtalk writers debate over what should happen with Everton duo Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane after their bust-up against Manchester United that led to the former bizarrely seeing red for striking his own teammate.

The incident occurred in just the 13th minute of the Premier League clash, leaving the Toffees with 10 men for almost 80 minutes of a contest they still managed to walk away with a 1-0 win from.

And, while all the talk should have been about the fantastic result and performance delivered by Everton on the night, it was all about that extraordinary Gueye and Keane clash.

Both players are actually out of contract next summer and, following Monday night’s events, TEAMtalk debates what should happen with the duo going forward…

Football is a game of passion and players just want to win and do their best for their teams and their own reputations. Admittedly, there could be some underlying tensions there between Gueye and Keane that have spilled over from the training ground and erupted in the heat of battle at Old Trafford.

For me, both players were culpable in the incident and I’m sure David Moyes will handle the situation perfectly.

I don’t think it needs to directly impact either of their immediate futures at Everton, and I don’t think Moyes needs to do anything too drastic other than adminster a club fine for Gueye. A week’s wages should get the message across to him!

But both players will surely be told their actions were unacceptable, especially Gueye, and it’s the sort of behaviour that absolutely cannot be tolerated.

Incredibly, the incident only seemed to galvanise Everton, but their evening’s work could undoubtedly have been far easier with 11 still on the field.

James Holland

Everton should keep Keane and either sell Gueye in January or let his contract expire at the end of the season. Gueye was clearly in the wrong, as he tried a silly flick to Keane in the box rather than clearing his lines.

The way Gueye stormed up to Keane and shouted in his face was disrespectful – it’s no surprise the defender pushed him away.

For Gueye to slap a teammate is ridiculous and should be punished by David Moyes. It shows incredible ill-discipline, and it could have cost Everton the game if United weren’t so poor.

Nothing should happen with Idrissa and Keane.

The club will deal with it internally and they are two competitors who want to win.

Things like this happen on the training ground all the time, but because it was in a game, it obviously draws far more attention.

Subhankar Mondal

While it was unsavoury to watch for Everton fans, it would be unwise of the Toffees to make a huge deal of the incident.

It was a rare bust-up between two teammates, but it was not as bad as the fight between Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer at Newcastle United.

Everton should fine the two players, who have to issue a joint public apology, and then move on. End of matter.

It’s all a bit of a non-event for me, regardless of the headlines. Unless, of course, there is something underlying that both players went into the game with.

It’s only really a topic of conversation because it’s rarely seen by big audiences on prime-time Monday night football. Indeed, in other football circles, those sorts of incidents are ten a penny.

In terms of the incident itself, I’d still be looking to drop a fine on Gueye, as you can’t strike a teammate in the face, no matter how hard it is or the intent involved.

However, when it comes to his long-term future on Merseyside, I’d now be happy to let his contract that runs out this summer just run down and let him walk for nothing in 2026.

There’s every chance that Everton will also wave goodbye to 32-year-old Keane too, given his age and the fact they are looking to build for the future.

Emotions run high on a football pitch and Gueye lost his cool at Old Trafford, leaving the referee with little choice but to brandish a red card.

But the midfielder issued a public apology on social media after the game and matchwinner Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall admitted that he apologised to his teammates at half-time.

David Moyes also refused to condemn Gueye, saying he “likes his players fighting each other” when asked about the incident in his post-match interview.

Admittedly, his mood would’ve been very different if Everton had lost at Old Trafford, but Gueye’s teammates ensured that his mistake wasn’t costly.

A fine for Gueye should be the end of the matter and the focus should instead be on their impressive victory.