Gueye Red Card CHAOS! Appeal Denied - What Happens Now?!

Everton's Idrissa Gueye will miss the next three Premier League games after the Football Association rejected the club's appeal against his red card, and frankly, the lack of explanation is pretty baffling.

Gueye Red Card CHAOS! Appeal Denied - What Happens...

The incident, if you can even call it that, occurred during Monday's 1-0 victory over Manchester United. Gueye, 36, was given a straight red for slapping teammate Michael Keane – a reaction goalkeeper Jordan Pickford quickly diffused. Referee Tony Harrington wasted no time issuing the dismissal, but many, including Everton manager David Moyes, felt it was a harsh decision, particularly considering the context. A bit of passion boiling over, maybe, but hardly violent conduct worthy of a three-match ban.

"We appealed [against the red card], and our appeal was turned down," a clearly frustrated Moyes confirmed. "We haven't been given any reason why it was turned down, but we did appeal it immediately." This is what's really odd. To have an appeal rejected without so much as a sentence or two explaining the rationale is, well, a bit of a slap in the face to the club, no pun intended.

Moyes himself seemed to be trying to downplay the entire thing, perhaps in an attempt to avoid further scrutiny. "It was over immediately. It was done, that was it. We moved on quite quickly, and it was all sorted within the dressing room," he said. He then added, trying to spin things positively, "We want passion. We don't always want it in the style it showed up on Monday night, but we certainly want that passion and commitment from all the players." It's a delicate balancing act, isn't it? Managing the fiery personalities in a team while still maintaining discipline.

Gueye's absence, coupled with the already existing injury woes, couldn't come at a worse time for Everton. German midfielder Merlin Rohl is recovering from hernia surgery, and captain Seamus Coleman is sidelined with a hamstring injury. This significantly weakens Everton's midfield options. "Yes, we are [short in midfield]. Merlin [Rohl] having an operation has made us light, so we are quite short, but we have other people who can play in there – Charly Alcaraz, Dwight McNeil if we need to as well," Moyes acknowledged.

He continued, "I think those players can do the job in there, if required. Merlin probably isn't going to be back until the start of January, and Idrissa's suspension [and forthcoming Afcon participation] leaves us pretty short in that area." So, Everton faces a tough run of games against Newcastle, Bournemouth, and Nottingham Forest with a depleted midfield. A real test for Moyes and his squad.

On a more somber note, prior to Saturday's match against Newcastle, Everton will unveil a memorial to former midfielder Gary Speed outside their stadium. Speed, who tragically took his own life in 2011, played for both Everton and Newcastle, making this a particularly poignant occasion. A "talking bench" will also be installed on the fan plaza to encourage conversation and mental health support. It's a fitting tribute to a player deeply connected to both clubs, and a reminder of the importance of looking out for one another, on and off the pitch.