Everton prepare to face Newcastle at the weekend but the heated exchange between Michael Keane and Idrissa Gana Gueye last Monday is still the main topic for Blues fans.
In a dramatic twist during Monday’s Premier League match between Everton and Manchester United, tensions flared between the Everton teammates.
Gana Gueye and Keane fought after a defensive mistake from the Toffees which resulted in Gueye slapping his teammate in the face.
Despite the altercation, Everton managed to hold onto a 1-0 lead and secure a vital victory.
But how do teams typically perform after these huge moments of tension?
In the history of the Premier League there have been six occasions where teammates have fought with one another on the pitch.
The team involved has managed to win the game in question a third of the time.
While Everton’s win against Manchester United is fresh in the minds of fans, the history of Premier League teammates fighting during a game has produced mixed results at full-time.
For some teams, these emotional outbursts can spark focus and determination, while for others, they can disrupt chemistry and derail a team’s momentum.
One of the most infamous examples of a teammate clash in Premier League history came in 2005, when Kieron Dyer and Lee Bowyer of Newcastle United were involved in a fistfight during a game against Aston Villa.
The two were seen throwing punches at each other on the pitch after a disagreement. The altercation led to both players were sent off, leaving Newcastle to finish the match with just nine men. They lost 3-0 at home.
The fall-out from the fight became a symbol of the dysfunction at the club, and both Dyer and Bowyer were eventually sold in the following seasons.
Everton will undoubtedly face Magpies at the weekend both hoping to leave the pitch with 11 men.
Some teams have used internal conflicts as fuel for success. For example, in the 1995-96 season, Manchester United’s Roy Keane and Eric Cantona had a fiery disagreement during a training session.
The heated exchange between the two star players led to a tense atmosphere, but it seemed to ignite United’s passion on the pitch.
After the incident, United went on a strong run, finishing as runners-up in the Premier League that season and even winning the FA Cup. The altercation, while intense seemed to strengthen the team.
Everton’s response to the Gueye-Keane altercation appeared to be more in line with the positive reactions seen in some of these past cases.
Despite the emotional outburst, Everton dug deep and held their ground against United.
While it’s clear that fights between teammates often disrupt a team’s morale, it doesn’t always mean there will be a poor performance.
In Everton’s case, it’s still unclear whether the Gueye-Keane altercation will have any lasting effects.
But Monday’s win against Manchester United provides an example of a team rallying to secure a vital result despite internal problems.
