MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Everton beat Manchester United 1-0 on Monday to slow the home team's recent revival in a Premier League game that will be remembered for an early red card shown to Everton's Idrissa Gueye for striking teammate Michael Keane.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored with a superb strike in the 29th minute, after which Everton was forced to defend its lead. United dominated the visiting 10 men in a one-sided second half but couldn't find
a way past England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
“They were the better team, with 11 players or 10,” United coach Ruben Amorim said. “I felt from the first minute that we were not there with the same intensity so they deserve the win. If they have 10, let’s push the opponent to the final third. We need to be near on the transition. We needed to be focused. We need to do more.”
It was United’s first defeat since losing 3-1 at Brentford almost two months ago and the first time in 47 Premier League games that a visiting team has won at Old Trafford with 10 men.
However, the night’s unforgettable talking point came after 13 minutes.
Gueye was furious at what appeared to be Keane’s failure to pick up his pass inside the Everton penalty box. Bruno Fernandes stepped in and fired wide but an angry Gueye confronted Keane.
Keane shoved Gueye, who responded with a slap to Keane's face. Referee Tony Harrington displayed the red card for “violent conduct.”
“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 league said in a social media post.
The Senegalese was the first player to be sent off in the Premier League for fighting with a teammate since Stoke City’s Ricardo Fuller saw red after clashing with Andy Griffin in 2008.
Dewsbury-Hall later called it “the situation” but downplayed the incident and said what mattered was Everton's reaction.
“I think it was just a moment of madness,” the goalscorer said. “It was avoidable but Idrissa has apologized to us all at full-time and said his piece. We move on from it. The reaction from the lads after that is unbelievable. We could easily have crumbled and lost the game comfortably and if anything it made us grow as a team.”
David Moyes’ team silenced the home crowd by taking the lead 16 minutes after Gueye was dismissed.
Dewsbury-Hall's stunning 18-meter strike was a memorable one for the Everton stalwart, but it was an exceptional moment for the Toffees.
After the goal it was all United. The home side had 25 shots on Pickford’s goal, compared to Everton’s three at the other end.
“I will sleep well tonight,” Dewsbury-Hall said. “I am so thankful we got the three points.”
Another happy man was Moyes, who recorded his first win as a visiting coach to Old Trafford in the Premier League after 18 unsuccessful attempts.
“I’m incredibly proud of the players and the fans,” said the Scot. “We got over the line with 10 men. We started the ball brilliantly well, got the sending off, the game changed. But we showed resilience. Manchester United are in pretty good form at the moment, so it was never going to be an easy game. Good goalkeeping when we needed it. The boys were brave.”
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