🔗 Share this article

Idrissa Gueye received a round of applause from his Everton teammates after issuing an apology for his extraordinary dismissal during the recent victory at Old Trafford.

Rare Incident in Premier League

Gueye earned the distinction of being the initial Premier League player to be sent off for hitting a teammate in nearly two decades when he struck Michael Keane during the match. The Toffees' performance was heroic as they competed with 10 men for the majority of the game, including added time, to secure David Moyes' initial victory at Old Trafford as a visiting manager in 18 attempts.

'I want to apologise first to Michael Keane,' Gueye stated on social media. 'I take full responsibility for my reaction.'

Dressing Room Reaction

Gueye did not get an opportunity to converse with Moyes or his teammates at the interval. Following the match, with the away dressing room celebrating after the 1-0 win, the 36-year-old asked to address the whole team and Keane in particular.

• He expressed regret to the defender for slapping him across the face
• The intense 13th-minute altercation occurred after a poor distribution in his own defensive third
• Additionally he said sorry to the squad for leaving them with a difficult challenge
• His apology were positively accepted by the squad

Possible Ramifications

Gueye could still be punished by the club despite Moyes' admission that he appreciates his players fighting with each other. Moyes has a regular disciplinary procedure for red and yellow cards, including financial penalties, which is expected to be applied in Gueye's case.

Suspension and National Team Commitments

The Merseyside club could be without their key midfielder until the new year. The Senegalese international will complete a three-match ban against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but might be selected for Africa Cup of Nations responsibilities by his national team before he can return to play against Chelsea on 13 December.

'Emotions can run high,' Gueye continued. 'However, there's no excuse for such conduct.'

Opposition Perspective

Meanwhile, the Manchester United defender accused his team of lacking immediacy in Monday's defeat, which halted their unbeaten run at five games.

• 'English football doesn't tolerate weakness,' said the Netherlands international
• 'We were missing the necessary intensity to find the net'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' that defend deep it's difficult

United head to Crystal Palace for Sunday's lunchtime start. 'The next game is really important now,' said De Ligt. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'