Some results feel routine. Others feel scripted for drama. And then there was Everton at Old Trafford on Monday night, a match that blended chaos, confrontation and an unexpected dose of Moyes-style humour.
After 17 unsuccessful attempts to win a league match at Old Trafford as an away manager, David Moyes finally cracked the code. But he did it on a night when his own player slapped a teammate and walked off after just 13 minutes.
If you wrote it into a football movie, people would call it unrealistic.
The Slap That Stunned Old Trafford
Everton’s night veered off course almost immediately when Idrissa Gueye and Michael Keane clashed after a disagreement about positioning. Keane shoved him, Gueye slapped back, and referee Tony Harrington saw enough.
Red card. Shock. Confusion. Jordan Pickford jumping in to settle things. All within the 13th minute of the game.
For Premier League historians, this wasn’t just drama; it was rare. Only the third time ever that a player had been sent off for fighting a teammate, and the first time since Stoke City’s infamous Ricardo Fuller vs Andy Griffin slap in 2008.
Read More: Everton Shock Old Trafford After Chaotic Teammate Slap And Red Card
Moyes: “I Quite Like My Players Fighting Each Other”
Instead of raging, Moyes leaned into the chaos with the dry humour that has defined parts of his career.
He revealed Gueye apologised in the dressing room, acknowledged the rules, but then added something that instantly became a headline:
“I quite like my players fighting each other.”
Not in a destructive way, he clarified, but in the sense that frustration, competitiveness and accountability are the ingredients of a hungry team.
“If you want a winning team with resilience and toughness, you need players who react,” he said, almost turning the red-card slap into a character-building moment.
History Made At Old Trafford
Despite the red card and an early injury to Seamus Coleman, Everton refused to crumble. Instead, they made Premier League history by becoming the first team ever to win a match at Old Trafford after a sending-off.
And they did it thanks to a breathtaking goal from Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who sliced through United’s midfield and curled a strike Pickford could admire from the other end.
United pushed, probed and dominated possession, but Everton’s defensive wall refused to break.
Pickford, Pride And A Rare Away Triumph
Moyes praised the players for producing a performance built on grit and discipline, especially given Everton had only won once in their last 33 league visits to Manchester United.
“It was never going to be easy with eleven, so to do it with ten was incredible,” he said.
Pickford, calm but commanding, held everything together. Dewsbury-Hall provided the moment of magic. And the rest of the squad delivered the resilience Moyes has been demanding.
What This Win Means For Everton
This wasn’t just about three points. It was a statement win.
A reminder that Everton, even in chaotic circumstances, can dig deep. A reminder that Moyes still knows how to engineer an upset. And a reminder that sometimes the messiest moments reveal the strongest teams.
From a teammate slap to a historic victory, Everton walked out of Old Trafford with more than a win. They left with a bit of Premier League folklore and a manager who, despite the madness, saw growth in the fire.
And maybe, in Moyes’ world, a little bit of fighting spirit is exactly what they needed.
Source: SuperSport
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