5 Memorable Times Players Lost It Like Idrissa Gueye Did Against Everton

Everton defensive midfielder Idrissa Gueye etched his name into a notorious chapter of Premier League folklore on Monday night, becoming just the third player in the competition's history to be sent off for assaulting a teammate. 

The Senegalese international’s shocking decision to strike defender Michael Keane in the face during the Toffees' 1-0 victory over Manchester United has reignited memories of football’s most volatile internal conflicts. 

Gueye’s dismissal was a rare occurrence, as the sight of teammates turning on one another has long been a dramatic spectacle in the sport.

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Pulse Sports looks at  five of the most memorable bust-ups between teammates in English football history.

Perhaps the undisputed heavyweight champion of on-field infighting occurred at St James' Park during a match against Aston Villa. Newcastle were already trailing 3-0 and playing with ten men when frustrations boiled over in the most public way imaginable. In a moment of pure madness, midfielders Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer ignored the opposition entirely to engage in a fistfight with each other near the touchline.

The brawl was so intense that it required an opponent, Aston Villa’s Gareth Barry, to step in and separate the warring Magpies. The sight of a rival player playing peacemaker remains one of the Premier League's most surreal images. The officials had no choice but to intervene, and the referee promptly brandished red cards to both players, leaving Newcastle to finish the match in total humiliation with just eight men on the pitch.

The aftermath was severe for both parties involved in the skirmish. Dyer received a standard three-match ban for his role in the fracas, while Bowyer, who was deemed the aggressor, was hit with a massive seven-game suspension. The incident became the defining image of a chaotic era at Newcastle, symbolizing a team that had quite literally begun to tear itself apart.

Blackburn Rovers were enduring a miserable Champions League campaign when they traveled to face Spartak Moscow on a freezing night in Russia. The tension of a disappointing European run exploded just four minutes into the game. When England teammates David Batty and Graeme Le Saux both pursued the same loose ball, a collision ensued that quickly escalated from a misunderstanding into physical violence.

Le Saux lost his composure entirely in the heat of the moment. He struck out at Batty, landing a punch that would have lasting consequences for the aggressor rather than the victim. The left-back actually broke his hand connecting with his teammate, adding physical injury to the reputational insult of the night.

The incident summed up a disastrous European venture for the then-Premier League champions. While they did not receive red cards during the match, the internal combustion was evident to everyone watching. It remains a cautionary tale of how quickly frustration can turn violent, even—or especially—when the conditions are tough and the team is struggling.

In a scenario eerily similar to the recent Gueye incident, Stoke City forward Ricardo Fuller allowed his temper to cost his team dearly during a trip to West Ham. The Potters were leading 1-0 when captain Andy Griffin slipped defensively, allowing Carlton Cole to score an equalizer for the Hammers. Most teammates would offer words of encouragement, but Fuller chose a different approach.

The Jamaican striker stormed over to his captain to give him an earful regarding the error. The verbal assault quickly turned physical as Fuller slapped Griffin across the face in full view of the referee. Just like Gueye, Fuller was immediately shown a red card for violent conduct, leaving his team at a numerical disadvantage because he couldn't forgive a mistake.

The dismissal proved fatal for Stoke City's hopes that afternoon. With their striker in the dressing room for assaulting their defender, the team lost their shape and momentum. The hosts, West Ham, capitalized on the chaos to score a late winner, proving that internal fighting usually ensures defeat for the whole squad.

The Merseyside derby is always a heated affair, but in 1993, the fiercest battle for Liverpool was between their own goalkeeper and winger. Bruce Grobbelaar, the eccentric Zimbabwean stopper, was incensed after a poor clearance allowed Everton to score at Goodison Park. Looking for someone to blame, he turned his fury toward a young Steve McManaman.

McManaman, rarely one to back down, argued back at his senior goalkeeper. This defiance only angered Grobbelaar further, leading the keeper to grab his teammate by the face and shove him. It was a shocking visual of a veteran physically disciplining a rising star in the middle of one of the biggest games of the season.

Remarkably, McManaman responded by pushing back before eventually retreating to restart the game. While neither player was sent off, the image of Grobbelaar’s hand clamped over McManaman’s face remains iconic. It highlighted the high-stakes pressure of derby day, where even teammates are not safe from the firing line.

North London Derbies are difficult enough without internal sabotage, but Arsenal’s 2008 League Cup semi-final against Tottenham was a disaster on every front. Trailing 5-1 to their bitter rivals at White Hart Lane, the humiliation became too much for forwards Nicklas Bendtner and Emmanuel Adebayor. As the goals flew in for Spurs, the two Gunners began to turn on each other.

An ugly row broke out between the two strikers, which quickly escalated beyond mere shouting. The altercation became physical, resulting in a distinct visual marker of the violence: the Danish international Bendtner was left with a cut on the bridge of his nose.

The sight of Bendtner with blood stains on his shirt, inflicted by his strike partner, was the nadir of a horrific night for Arsenal. It was a bust-up born of pure frustration and embarrassment, serving as a perfect metaphor for a team that had completely lost its composure under pressure.