David Moyes on Idrissa Gana Gueye slap, red card — ‘I quite like my players fighting each other’
Everton boss David Moyes has seen his fair share of drama at Manchester United, but it’s safe to say Monday’s 1-0 win over his former club was a new experience.
Moyes’ men went down to 10 men when Idrissa Gana Gueye slapped another player — teammate Michael Keane.
MORE — Gana Gueye slaps teammate Keane, sees red card
Yet the Toffees were the first team to score as Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall supplied a determined dribble and fine finish to give the visitors a halftime lead.
Everton then closed up shop at Old Trafford, surprising many with a gutsy and not-so-nervy win to move up the table.
What did Moyes say when all was said and done?
David Moyes reaction to Idrissa Gana Gueye slap, red card, and Everton’s win at Manchester United
Thoughts on finally winning at Old Trafford as an away Premier League boss: “We’ve come close a lot of times but tonight we got over the line with 10 men which is probably the hardest way.
Thoughts right after the final whistle: “I felt for all of the supporters who made the journey. We started well but the sending off changed the game. The resilience behind the scenes Everton is really good. The players had to show that tonight. …. To go down to 10 men here. Let’s be fair, Manchester United are in pretty good form at the moment. It was never going to be good with 11 players. To do it with 10 is fantastic.”
On Seamus Coleman’s very early injury: “I was surprised because Seamus has played a few games but he just felt a nick in his hamstring. That was a disruption as well. It’s not easy as well to cope with those.”
What did you make of Idrissa Gana Gueye’s red card? “I’m surprised. I think if nothing happened, I don’t think anybody in the stadium would’ve been surprised. I thought the ref could’ve maybe taken more time to think about it. I’m getting told the rules of the game means that if you slap even your own player or you lift an arm you’re in trouble. But you know there’s another side of it — I quite like my players fighting each other and getting annoyed with each other if they’ve played a bad ball or made a bad action. If you want a winning team with the resilience and toughness that got us the result, you’re gonna have to play that way. Anyone who has been a footballer will tell you that quite often you get angry with your teammates.”
Have you spoken to Idrissa Gana Gueye? “He’s apologized in the dressing room. for the sending-off He’s praised the players incredibly for their performance and thanked them for it.”
