An unfortunate event involving Idrissa Gueye being shown a red card after slapping fellow player Michael Keane has prompted curiosity about similar on-field altercations among teammates.
Historic Clashes
Starting with several memorable cases from football the past.
Derek Hales and Mike Flanagan, Charlton v Maidstone, FA Cup, 1978-79
In a tense FA Cup fixture, strikers Derek Hales and Mike Flanagan erupted into a physical confrontation. Allegedly, Hales believed Flanagan was refusing to giving him the ball so threw a punch. Both players were sent off.
Hearts Defenders Levein and Hogg, 1994-95
During a pre-season friendly, Hearts defenders Craig Levein and Graeme Hogg began throwing punches after Raith's Gordon Dalziel almost scored. Witnesses described Levein throwing powerful punches that resulted in a broken nose for Hogg.
Blackburn's Le Saux and Batty, Champions League 1995-96
During a European game, Blackburn teammates Graeme Le Saux and David Batty argued over a possession and Le Saux tried to punch Batty. Thankfully, captain Tim Sherwood intervened to stop further violence.
Dortmund's Lehmann and Amoroso, 2002-03
Shot-stopper Jens Lehmann reacted badly to a ruled out goal by attempting to strangle teammate Marcio Amoroso. Despite the goal not counting, Lehmann was dismissed for his conduct.
More Modern English Top-Flight Incidents
A number of additional players have made the dubious distinction of being sent off for aggression against a colleague.
- Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer (Newcastle, 2005) – Infamously fought during a at St James' Park defeat to Aston Villa.
- Ricardo Fuller (Stoke, 2008) – Struck captain Andy Griffin and was sent off.
- Idrissa Gueye (Everton, 2025) – Most recent addition to this list after slapping Michael Keane.
Additional notable confrontations include:
- Bruce Grobbelaar and Steve McManaman (Liverpool, 1993) – Heated exchange but no cards.
- Anwar El Ghazi and Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa, 2019) – Head-to-head without disciplinary action.
- Marcão and Kerem Akturkoglu (Galatasaray, 2021) – Aggressive contact followed by punches before red card.
World Cup First Appearance Gap Records
Craig Gordon could establish a notable record if he plays at the next World Cup. That would be over two decades since his international debut.
However, several additional footballers have experienced even longer gaps between debut and finals appearance:
- Essam El-Hadary (Egypt) – Over two decades and three months between first game (1996) and finals (2018). El-Hadary was the first African to stop a spot-kick in a World Cup match.
- Atiba Hutchinson (Canada) – Nearly two decades between first cap (2003) and finals (2022).
- Pia Sundhage (Sweden) – Over a decade and a half between debut (1975) and Women's World Cup (1991).
Biggest Losses at Home for Title Holders
The champions' recent 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest enters a list of surprising at home defeats experienced by reigning Premier League champions.
Some memorable cases include:
- Manchester United 1-6 Manchester City (2011) – Biggest home defeat for a champion.
- Leicester City 1-6 Tottenham (2017) – Equal scoreline with Harry Kane scoring four goals.
- Manchester City 0-4 Tottenham (2024) – Latest comprehensive loss for the champions.
Additional notable losses at home include games involving Leeds, Chelsea, and several further clubs.
Title Winners with Negative Goal Difference
Can a team to win a championship despite allowing more goals? Yes, examples exist.
- Coritiba (Brazil 1985) – Claimed the championship with 25 goals for and goals conceded.
- POSCO Atoms (South Korea 1986) – Title winners with a negative goal difference.
These rare achievements often occur in complex league systems.
Reader Queries
Readers are encouraged to send any football queries on subjects such as:
- Countries declining World Cup invitations.
- Players getting yellow cards while leaving the field.
- Interesting naming patterns in squad lineups.
Feel free to submit your questions and answers.
