Jonny Evans hasn’t been immune to controversy during his playing days at Manchester United and West Brom
Jonny Evans’ new role at Manchester United comes years after he was the centre of controversy in two incidents during his playing career.
The former defender, 38, was appointed as the Red Devils’ interim assistant coach by caretaker manager Darren Fletcher on Tuesday – less than a month since leaving the club in his role as their head of loans and pathways.
His return to Old Trafford has come as a result of Ruben Amorim’s sacking on Monday after 14 months in charge. Evans has only been retired from football for eight months as the Northern Irishman called time on his career last season following the end of his second stint with United.
A highly-respected player during his 19-year professional career that saw him claim eight major honours and earn 107 caps for his country, even Evans got into a spot of bother once or twice as a player.
The first moment of controversy came in 2015 during his time with United when he and former Newcastle striker Papiss Cisse were ruled to have spat on each other in a contentious clash at St James’ Park. While Evans didn’t deny spitting, he insisted he did not aim towards the Senegalese ace.
However, his admission did little to quell the findings of an independent regulatory commission that slapped him with a six-match suspension, with Cisse earning a seven-game ban due to a previous infarction that season.
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While he remained squeaky clean for the rest of his time at United, it was during his stint at West Brom that Evans found himself in hot water again. Alongside team-mates Gareth Barry, Jake Livermore and Boaz Myhill, the quartet allegedly stole a taxi outside a fast-food restaurant in Barcelona in 2018.
The Catalan regional police force – Mossos d’Esquadra – informed BBC Sport at the time that the Premier League stars took a taxi to a restaurant. When leaving they were said to have taken the taxi back to their hotel – but without the driver – before police were alerted to the situation. The four – including Evans – were interviewed but not arrested by Spanish police over the incident.
In a statement at the time, the quartet said: “We felt it important we identify ourselves out of respect for team-mates who otherwise could be implicated by association.”
Evans is now set to assist Fletcher in his first game in charge of United tonight in their away match against Burnley.
Speaking in a press conference on Tuesday, the Scotsman said of his former team-mate: “Jonny is someone who has a great association with the club. Recently played, knows the players, comfortable in the environment, and a familiar face for the players and the group.