Raheem Sterling has been dropped for England’s clash with Montenegro after confronting team-mate Joe Gomez.
A statement from the Football Association said the emotions of the match between Sterling’s Manchester City and Gomez’s Liverpool on Sunday were still raw when the players met up for international duty on Monday.
Here, the PA news agency picks out five other times when team-mates fell out.
Derek Hales and Mike Flanagan
Charlton strike partners Derek Hales and Mike Flanagan came to blows during an FA Cup tie against Maidstone in January 1979. The source of the spat was allegedly Flanagan reacting to Hales failing to pass to him by making a remark about his team-mate’s genitals. Both were sent off.
Bruce Grobbelaar and Steve McManaman
Liverpool goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar was furious with team-mate Steve McManaman after a poor clearance allowed Everton to score in a Merseyside derby at Goodison Park in 1993. McManaman argued back, angering Grobbelaar further, leading the keeper to grab his young team-mate and push him in the face. McManaman pushed back before retreating.
Graeme Le Saux and David Batty
Things turned sour at Blackburn soon after they won the Premier League title in 1995. Dressing room tensions spilled out onto the pitch in spectacular fashion during a Champions League clash with Spartak Moscow. Le Saux and Batty’s contretemps came after only four minutes when they both went for the same loose ball. Le Saux punched his team-mate, with captain Tim Sherwood racing in to separate them. Le Saux broke his hand, and Spartak coach Oleg Romantsev said afterwards: “Before the match I told my players they will be playing against 11 guys ready to fight for each other for 90 minutes – not with each other.”
Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer
Newcastle team-mates Bowyer and Kieron Dyer scrapped on the pitch during a game with Aston Villa in 2005. Bowyer initiated the fight after Dyer told him he was not passing to him because he did not think he was any good. The pair had to be separated and were both sent off, leaving Newcastle with eight men as Steven Taylor had already seen red. They had to be kept apart in the dressing room, and Bowyer subsequently pleaded guilty in court to a charge of using threatening behaviour.
Anwar El Ghazi and Tyrone Mings
Aston Villa team-mates Anwar El Ghazi and Tyrone Mings squared up to each other earlier this season during a goalless draw with West Ham. Mings appeared to be unhappy with El Ghazi for not tracking back and confronted him in the penalty area. El Ghazi did not back down and was fortunate not to be sent off after appearing to try to headbutt Mings. The pair were said to have shaken hands in the dressing room at half-time.
