Manchester United legend Patrice Evra has revealed how former manager Sir Alex Ferguson instructed his players to deliberately get Chelsea’s John Mikel Obi sent off during a tense Premier League match in the 2007-2008 season.
The game, which saw Manchester United win 2-0 against Chelsea at Old Trafford, became infamous when Mikel Obi was shown a red card by referee Mike Dean after a challenge on Evra in the 32n nod minute.
Speaking on the ObiOne podcast, Evra shared that Mikel Obi didn’t actually deserve the red card. However, Ferguson, known for his tactical mind games, told the team to focus on getting Mikel off the field.
“I remember at halftime, Ferguson said we needed to get John sent off. He knew Mikel had a strong personality and was full of fire. So, Ferguson told all the players to go on him and put pressure,” Evra explained.
Evra admitted that although it was a “dirty tactic,” it worked. He also described how he personally provoked Mikel to get the reaction that led to the red card. “I always go in with the ball and put my legs first so you kick it, and after that, you get the red card,” Evra said.
Mikel Obi, reflecting on the incident, acknowledged that Manchester United wanted to win at all costs. “They knew I was a young player full of fire, and they found a way to win. In the Premier League, it didn’t matter if you won dirty or clean, you just had to win,” Mikel said.
This behind-the-scenes strategy sheds light on how far teams would go to secure victory in the highly competitive Premier League.
Evra also mentioned that Ferguson, who was known for his no-nonsense approach, might struggle to coach modern players with the same tactics used back then.
