During his time as Everton manager, long-serving boss David Moyes famously compared games against nouveau riche Manchester City as like “taking a knife to a gun fight” but on this day in 2010, he found himself embroiled in some good old-fashioned ‘handbags’.
This was the occasion for a rather unseemly but thoroughly amusing touchline spat between Moyes and his opposite number Roberto Mancini at the Etihad Stadium. Everton were closing out a 2-0 away win over Manchester City thanks to goals from Tim Cahill (33) and Mikel Arteta (85) at a time when the Blues enjoyed something of an Indian sign over their big-spending regional rivals from down the East Lancs Road and visiting fans were rubbing it in towards their hosts.
Chants of “Lescott, what's the score?” were directed at their former centre-back who had quit Goodison Park for City earlier in the season for £22million after a protracted chase and was watching from the stands having been sidelined through injury. It would prove to be the second of three Everton wins over Manchester City that calendar year and was one of seven Blues victories over a period of eight matches in the fixture between 2008-11.
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Mancini, who had replaced Mark Hughes the previous December, tried to portray himself as being something of the Italian gentleman but frustrated by the scoreline he let the mask slip on this occasion as the red mist descended. With Everton attempting to shore up their three points by preparing to bring on centre-back Joseph Yobo for goalscorer Arteta as a last-minute substitute, Moyes caught the matchball after it went out of play and held it under his arm.
What followed next was pure pantomime. The Scot was quickly apprehended by an onrushing Mancini who in a manner not matching the elegance of the outsized sky blue and white scarf he was wearing, barged into the Everton manager to retrieve the ball and toss it to one of his City players, future Blues man Gareth Barry, to take a throw-in.
Moyes retaliated by confronting Mancini and fourth official Howard Webb intervened to keep the pair of them apart. Both bosses were subsequently sent off by referee Peter Walton of Northamptonshire.
Mancini, who had instigated the fracas, said: “If I made a mistake then I’m sorry. I have spoken with him.
“I wanted to get the ball because we had another five minutes. I accept the charge, I will not fight it.
“As I said after the game, I just wanted to get the ball and get the match finished. I’m normally calm but I want to win always. After the Everton game I had a drink with David Moyes and there was no problem.”
For his part, Moyes was unremorseful. He said: “Next time I won’t catch the ball. I will let it run off down the tunnel. That would have wasted more time.
“I wasn’t doing anything on purpose. I don’t know why I was sent off. And I, by the way, wasn't the one waving imaginary yellow cards around trying to get people booked.”
Mancini was subsequently found guilty of improper conduct by the Football Association and fined £20,000, suspended until the end of the 2011/12 season, which ensured he escaped a touchline ban.
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