David Moyes is still weighing up whether to take internal action against Idrissa Gueye, though any punishment is likely to be informal and designed to boost morale in a n Everton quad still bursting with confidence after Manchester United win
Idrissa Gueye leaves the pitch after being shown a red card while interacting with teammates Jordan Pickford and Iliman Ndiaye during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Everton at Old Trafford. Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
Idrissa Gueye leaves the pitch after being shown a red card while interacting with teammates Jordan Pickford and Iliman Ndiaye during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Everton at Old Trafford. Photo by Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images
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Idrissa Gueye could still face internal action following his red card at Manchester United. However, any sanction is likely to be informal.
David Moyes said the Everton squad had moved past the incident that saw the veteran midfielder sent off for raising his hands to the face of team-mate [Michael Keane](http://Michael Keane) in the first half of the Blues’ 1-0 win at Old Trafford.
And, four days on from the flashpoint, the Scot continued to question whether Gueye’s actions merited a straight red card and the three-match suspension Everton have been unable to overturn. Moyes is yet to rule out the possibility of the Senegalese facing some sort of disciplinary measure, however, though any punishment is likely to be light-hearted - such as paying for a team-bonding exercise.
Speaking ahead of Saturday's home game with Newcastle United, Moyes addressed the spat, which erupted after the Blues conceded a chance with the game still goalless.
He said: “It was over immediately when it was done, that was it. We moved on quite quickly and it was all sorted within the dressing room. We want passion, we don’t always want it in the style that it showed up on Monday night. We certainly want that passion and that commitment from our players.”
Moyes does not have a disciplinary process that automatically applies to players at Everton. Instead, he opts to weigh each situation on its merits.
The Blues boss explained: “I have not got any standard procedures. You might leave something on a player and it is not that bad but you get sent-off. I think we are in a world of soft red cards and soft penalty kicks, so you have got to take everyone as they come.”
On whether he could yet impose a sanction on Gueye, he said: “We will wait and see, but anything we do will be an internal decision… I think he was right to apologise because it was a poor decision on the night but we will still have our own ways of what we need to do and how we will do it.”
Potential options are thought to include asking Gueye to pay for a team meal or a similar morale-boosting exercise for the squad, with Moyes still holding reservations over the severity of the dispute and whether it warranted the reaction it received from the match officials.
That scepticism formed the foundation of the club’s appeal against the three-game ban that has rendered the 36-year-old unavailable for the upcoming matches with Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest.
Moyes explained: “We thought there wasn’t enough that the action deserved the red card. I don’t think there were many people in football who thought that as well.
“What has it become now that team-mates are having an argument and you are sending them off? At the moment we have not had a reason back for why it has not been successful.”
An independent regulatory commission is understood to have considered claims of wrongful dismissal and excessive punishment from Everton and dismissed both. The findings are likely to be published through the Football Association in the coming weeks.
The commission’s decision now leaves Moyes with a significant hole to fill in his midfield, with Tim Iroegbunam the player most likely to benefit.
The 22-year-old is the only other specialist central midfielder available alongside James Garner, with Merlin Rohl injured and Harrison Armstrong on loan at Preston, where he is currently recovering from a groin issue.
Moyes was impressed with match-winner Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s performance from the deeper midfield role he occupied after Gueye’s red card against Manchester United, while Carlos Alcaraz and Dwight McNeil are other options that could be considered.