By Martin Graham
everton midfielder Idrissa Gueye became only the third footballer in Premier League history to be sent off for an action directed at a team-mate when he hit Michael Keane during the victory a Manchester United.
The clash occurred in the early stages and resulted in the Senegal international being sent off outright.
Although such sending offs remain rare, arguments and physical confrontations between players on the same side have arisen frequently in different competitions.
Several standout episodes have stood out over the years for their intensity and surprise factor.
High-profile clashes in the 1990s
Liverpool’s Bruce Grobbelaar once reacted angrily to Steve McManaman after a poor pass helped Everton score in a Merseyside derby in 1993. McManaman’s response further irritated the goalkeeper, prompting Grobbelaar to grab and shove the young midfielder before the two were separated.
Two years later, Blackburn duo David Batty and Graeme le Saux clashed during a difficult Champions League campaign. Both went for the same loose ball on a bitterly cold night in Moscow, resulting in Le Saux breaking his hand after hitting his team-mate.
Unforgettable scenes from the 2000s
Newcastle’s Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer produced one of the Premier League’s most dramatic in-fighting in 2005. With the team already down to 10 men and losing heavily against Aston Villa, the pair traded blows until Gareth Barry intervened.
Both were dismissed, with Dyer given a three-match ban and Bowyer a seven-game ban for the altercation.
A few years later, Arsenal strikers Emmanuel Adebayor and Nicklas Bendtner argued during a heavy League Cup defeat to Tottenham, leaving Bendtner with a cut on his nose.
Incidents caused by costly errors
Stoke striker Ricardo Fuller infamously slapped captain Andy Griffin in 2008 after a slip allowed West Ham to equalise. Fuller was immediately sent off and Stoke eventually lost the game to a late goal.
In another example, Aston Villa’s Anwar El Ghazi and Tyrone Mings exchanged heated words in 2019 following frustrations over defensive work. Ghazi appeared to be moving towards Mings aggressively, although the disagreement was settled at half-time.
Modern day disagreements between peers
Tottenham captain Hugo Lloris took on Son Heung-min in 2020 for failing to follow through during a game against Everton. The goalkeeper shoved Son as the teams walked off, but the pair settled their differences and Spurs held on for victory.
Arsenal defenders Ben White and Oleksandr Zinchenko were also in contention after conceding late against Nottingham Forest in 2024. Members of staff intervened, with manager Mikel Arteta later framing the clash as a sign of a high standard.
Recent examples of tempers
Earlier in 2024, Sheffield United players Jack Robinson and Vinicius Souza had to be separated during a defeat at Wolves. The clash prompted a VAR review for a possible dismissal, although the officials decided against any penalty.
Manager Chris Wilder downplayed the confrontation, saying it was typical of competitive environments. He argued that such moments occur at clubs across the country several times a season.
