midfielder

Everton’s Idrissa Gueye was sent off for clashing with team-mate Michael Keane during the Premier League match at Manchester United.

United’s Bruno Fernandes had just gone close to scoring when Gueye and Keane began arguing with one another in the 13th minute at Old Trafford, with the game goalless.

Defender Keane appeared to twice push Gueye away before the midfielder appeared to put his hand in Keane’s face.

Everton’s England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford had to pull the pair apart before referee Tony Harrington showed Gueye a straight red card for violent conduct.

The Premier League Match Centre later posted on X:, external “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.”

The law for violent conduct defines a sending off offence as striking an opponent or any other person, on the head or face with their hand or arm, unless the force used was negligible.

Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live’s Monday Night Club, former Manchester City and England goalkeeper Joe Hart said “something must have been brewing” between the two players before the red card.

“The referee wasn’t even close enough to hear what Idrissa Gueye was saying but he was in Michael Keane’s face, who is considerably bigger than him and shoved him off with one arm,” added Hart.

“When he came over to continue the argument, the referee just casually walked over and sent him off. Jordan Pickford did very well in the situation.

“If that’s all that happened though, it isn’t a red card. Something must’ve been brewing between them two.”

Despite being reduced to 10 men, Everton took the lead through Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s 29th-minute goal.

More to follow.

This is Xhaka’s second spell in England, having played 297 times for Arsenal from 2016 until 2023.

He then joined Bayer Leverkusen where he won the title under Xabi Alonso in their unbeaten domestic season in 2023-24.

Erik ten Hag, then the Leverkusen boss, insisted Xhaka would not be sold this summer.

But the midfielder left for Sunderland, and Ten Hag was sacked a few weeks into the season.

“I didn’t expect to come back after Germany but you never know where you land,” said Xhaka.

“To be back made me happy. I knew the project to bring experience and show the guys day by day.

“It makes me happy to score a goal.”

Xhaka was a bit of a pantomine villain – and sometimes much maligned – at Arsenal.

He was sent off five times for the Gunners and spent six weeks as captain in 2019, clashed with his own fans and was stripped of the armband.

But things went better under Mikel Arteta and he became an important player before leaving in 2023 for Germany.

Carragher said: “After what he went through at Arsenal, he showed great character to come back from that. The impact he has had, if he can be part of a Sunderland team who finishes in the top 10 – or even just stays up – he will be remembered for a very long time.”

Former Sunderland striker Marco Gabbiadini told BBC Radio Newcastle: “He exemplifies a top professional.

“When he was an Arsenal player at times you felt like he was a bit of a villain. Over the years we have seen him mature and develop.

“We’ve seen a slightly more restrained version of Xhaka, but it’s actually better than the fully committed, blowing steam out of his ears sort of player that we saw at Arsenal.

“He’s a little bit more measured, calmer and a better professional. To have that in your squad especially when you’ve got a young squad, and everyone believes in him, he’s a talisman.

“We need to wrap him in cotton wool and keep him going for 38 games.”