David Moyes stood by Idrissa Gueye after the midfielder received a red card for hitting Everton teammate Michael Keane during their 1-0 victory over Manchester United. Despite Gueye's dismissal just 13 minutes into the match at Old Trafford, Kieran Dewsbury-Hall scored a stunning goal before halftime, securing Everton's first win at the venue since 2013.
After Dewsbury-Hall's goal at 28 minutes and 38 seconds, Everton didn't manage another shot, while Manchester United had 23 attempts, six of which were on target. This incident marked Everton's 110th red card in Premier League history, tying them with Arsenal for the most dismissals. Moyes wasn't upset with his players' emotions but felt referee Tony Harrington could have handled the situation
differently.
Moyes expressed his thoughts to Sky Sports, saying, "We don't see it very often. If nothing had happened afterwards, I don't think anybody in the stadium would've been surprised. " He believed the referee should have taken more time to consider the decision. "I've been told that if you slap your own player or if you leave an arm in, then you could be in some form of trouble," he added.
The manager appreciated his players' passion and determination. "I quite like my players fighting each other and getting annoyed with each other," he said. "If you want a winning team, with the resilience and toughness that got us the result, then I think you've got to have players that are going to react in that way. "
pic.twitter.com/E6wnsyNz0g Everton (@Everton) November 24, 2025
Dewsbury-Hall's goal was his fifth in the Premier League but his first using his right foot; previous goals came from his left. The former Chelsea player commended his teammates' response after going down a player and emphasized moving past the incident. "It was just a moment of madness. It was obviously avoidable," Dewsbury-Hall told Sky Sports.
"All I can say is Idrissa apologised to us all at half-time and said his piece. That's all he can do, and we move on from it," he continued. The team's reaction was remarkable as they could have easily faltered but instead grew stronger together.
This victory marked Everton's first Premier League win when having a player sent off in the first half since August 2006 against Tottenham. Despite being disappointed by Gueye's sending off, Moyes acknowledged every player's frustration with teammates during intense moments.
Gueye apologised to his teammates in the dressing room for his actions and praised their performance throughout the match. The team showed immense resilience and unity despite facing adversity early on.
