Everton defeat Manchester United after a teammate slap causes a red card and a shock away win

Everton produced one of the most unexpected results of the Premier League season when they defeated Manchester United at Old Trafford despite losing Idrissa Gueye to a direct red card for slapping his teammate Michael Keane. The incident unfolded early in the match and left Everton with a numerical disadvantage for more than seventy minutes. Yet Manchester United failed to take control and allowed David Moyes and his players to leave with a rare and celebrated victory.

The meeting marked one year since Ruben Amorim named his first Manchester United starting side. Any sense of progress evaporated as his current team delivered a disjointed and subdued performance that invited pressure and created uncertainty throughout the match. Everton had secured only one previous league win at Old Trafford in more than thirty years yet they approached this contest with a clear plan and carried it out with discipline.

The sending off arrived after a spell of confusion inside the Everton area. Bryan Mbeumo pressed forward and the move broke down before Bruno Fernandes sent a shot wide. As play reset Gueye confronted Keane, who responded with a firm push. Gueye then slapped Keane on the cheek and the referee Tony Harrington dismissed him for violent conduct. The decision sent a wave of surprise around the stadium while Jordan Pickford restrained Gueye to prevent further conflict. Everton regrouped quickly once the midfielder had left the pitch.

Manchester United seemed uncertain about how to exploit the advantage. Rather than shifting the tempo or stretching the visitors they drifted between cautious possession and impatient long balls that rarely troubled the Everton defence. Joshua Zirkzee forced two aerial saves from Pickford in the later stages but those moments provided little comfort for a home support that watched an otherwise passive performance.

Everton appeared sharper and more purposeful in transition. Iliman Ndiaye pressed forward with confidence and repeatedly drew United shoulders in the wrong direction. Kiernan Dewsbury Hall stepped into advanced pockets with increasing influence and eventually broke the deadlock. He controlled possession in open space, moved away from Bruno Fernandes and drifted past Leny Yoro before striking high into the net beyond Senne Lammens. The finish demonstrated calm judgement and punished United for their lack of intensity.

Amorim made adjustments yet the rhythm of United’s play never improved. Passes lacked conviction and forward moves stalled before they reached dangerous areas. Everton accepted the pattern and settled into a compact shape that frustrated their opponents. Each counterattack carried menace while United relied on individual moments rather than structured patterns to find openings.

The final whistle confirmed a result that left Manchester United level on points with Everton in mid table. It also raised fresh questions about United’s direction under Amorim. A full season has passed since he arrived at the club yet the same issues remain. The team can produce short runs of form but struggles to impose itself on matches in which measured pressure and sustained control are required.

Everton meanwhile departed with a sense of satisfaction both for the performance and for the resilience shown after the early dismissal. Moyes noted that he welcomed a competitive edge from his players but acknowledged the unusual nature of the red card. Even so his team reacted with unity and discipline. Manchester United did not.

This match leaves the home side searching for answers and the visitors looking upward with renewed confidence.