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A recent incident involving Idrissa Gueye receiving a red card for slapping teammate Michael Keane has prompted curiosity about similar on-field altercations among teammates.

Historic Clashes

Starting with several notable examples from soccer the past.

Charlton's Hales and Flanagan, FA Cup 1978-79

During a tense FA Cup fixture, strikers Derek Hales and Mike Flanagan exploded into a physical confrontation. Allegedly, Hales believed Flanagan was not giving him the ball so threw a punch. The two players were sent off.

Hearts Defenders Levein and Hogg, 1994-95

In a exhibition match, Hearts defenders Craig Levein and Graeme Hogg started fighting after Raith's Gordon Dalziel nearly scored. Observers described Levein throwing strong punches that resulted in a facial injury for Hogg.

Graeme Le Saux and David Batty, Spartak Moscow v Blackburn, 1995-96

In a Champions League match, Blackburn players Graeme Le Saux and David Batty clashed over a loose ball and Le Saux attempted to strike Batty. Fortunately, captain Tim Sherwood stepped in to stop further violence.

Dortmund's Lehmann and Amoroso, 2002-03

Goalkeeper Jens Lehmann reacted badly to a ruled out goal by attempting to strangle striker Marcio Amoroso. Despite the goal not counting, Lehmann was dismissed for his conduct.

More Modern Premier League Cases

Several other players have made the dubious honor of being sent off for aggression against a teammate.

• Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer (Newcastle, 2005) – Famously came to blows during a at St James' Park loss to Aston Villa.
• Ricardo Fuller (Stoke, 2008) – Struck captain Andy Griffin and was sent off.
• Idrissa Gueye (Everton, 2025) – Latest entry to this list after slapping Michael Keane.

Other memorable confrontations feature:

• Bruce Grobbelaar and Steve McManaman (Liverpool, 1993) – Heated argument but no sanctions.
• Anwar El Ghazi and Tyrone Mings (Aston Villa, 2019) – Confrontation without disciplinary action.
• Marcão and Kerem Akturkoglu (Galatasaray, 2021) – Aggressive contact followed by swings before red card.

International First Appearance Gap Milestones

Craig Gordon could establish a notable milestone if he plays at the next World Cup. It would be 22 years since his Scotland first game.

But, a few additional footballers have experienced lengthier gaps between first cap and finals participation:

• Essam El-Hadary (Egypt) – Over two decades and three months between debut (1996) and finals (2018). He also was the first African to stop a spot-kick in a World Cup match.
• Atiba Hutchinson (Canada) – Nearly 20 years between debut (2003) and finals (2022).
• Pia Sundhage (Sweden) – 16 years between first appearance (1975) and women's finals (1991).

Biggest Home Defeats for Title Holders

Liverpool's latest 3-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest enters a group of surprising home losses experienced by current title holders.

Some notable examples include:

• Manchester United 1-6 Manchester City (2011) – Largest loss at Old Trafford for a title holder.
• Leicester City 1-6 Tottenham (2017) – Equal scoreline with Harry Kane netting four goals.
• Manchester City 0-4 Tottenham (2024) – Latest heavy loss for the title holders.

Additional significant home defeats include matches involving Leeds, Chelsea, and several other teams.

Title Winners with Negative Goal Difference

Can a team to win a championship despite conceding more than they score? Yes, there are.

• Coritiba (Brazil 1985) – Won the championship with goals scored and 27 against.
• POSCO Atoms (South Korea 1986) – Title winners with a -2 goal difference.

These unusual feats often occur in complex tournament formats.

Reader Queries

We invite submit any soccer questions on subjects including:

• Countries declining World Cup invitations.
• Footballers receiving yellow cards while leaving the field.
• Interesting name coincidences in team selections.

Feel free to share your queries and responses.