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Idrissa Gueye was given a warm ovation from his fellow squad members after issuing an apology for his extraordinary red card during the recent triumph at Manchester United.

Rare Incident in Premier League

The midfielder earned the distinction of being the first Premier League player to be dismissed for hitting a teammate in 17 years when he struck his defensive colleague during the fixture. The Toffees' performance was heroic as they competed with a man down for the majority of the game, including stoppage time, to secure David Moyes' initial victory at Old Trafford as a away coach in multiple tries.

'I want to apologise first to Michael Keane,' he wrote on his accounts. 'I accept complete responsibility for my actions.'

Team Response

Gueye was unable to secure an chance to converse with the manager or his colleagues at the interval. Following the match, with the away dressing room buzzing after the 1-0 win, the 36-year-old asked to speak to the whole team and Keane specifically.

• He expressed regret to the defender for slapping him across the face
• The intense early confrontation occurred after a poor distribution in his own penalty area
• Additionally he apologized to the squad for leaving them with a difficult challenge
• His apology were positively accepted by the players

Potential Ramifications

The 36-year-old could still be punished by the club despite the manager's admission that he appreciates his team members competing with each other. The Scot has a standard punishment process for red and yellow cards, including financial penalties, which is likely to be implemented in Gueye's case.

Ban and National Team Commitments

Everton may find themselves without their key player until the new year. Gueye will serve a three-match ban against Newcastle, AFC Bournemouth and Forest but might be selected for AFCON duty by Senegal before he can return to play against the Blues on 13 December.

'Passions can sometimes overflow,' Gueye continued. 'But nothing justifies such behaviour.'

Rival Perspective

Meanwhile, Mathijs de Ligt accused United of showing no immediacy in the recent defeat, which halted their winning streak at multiple matches.

• 'English football doesn't tolerate weakness,' said the Netherlands international
• 'We lacked that urgency to score goals,'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' that defend deep it becomes challenging

The Red Devils head to Crystal Palace for the weekend noon kickoff. 'The next game is really important now,' said the defender. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'