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

Rare Incident in Premier League

The midfielder earned the distinction of being the first Premier League player to be dismissed for striking a fellow player in nearly two decades when he slapped Michael Keane during the match. The Toffees' display was remarkable as they competed with 10 men for the majority of the game, including stoppage time, to secure David Moyes' first win at Old Trafford as a away coach in 18 attempts.

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

Dressing Room Reaction

The Senegalese international did not get an chance to converse with the manager or his colleagues at half-time. Afterwards, with the visitors' locker room celebrating after the narrow victory, the veteran requested to speak to the whole team and the defender specifically.

• Gueye apologized to Keane for slapping him across the head
• The heated early confrontation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own defensive third
• He also apologized to the squad for leaving them with a difficult challenge
• Gueye's words were positively accepted by the squad

Potential Ramifications

Gueye may yet be punished by Everton despite the manager's statement that he likes his players competing with each other. Moyes has a regular punishment process for red and yellow cards, including financial penalties, which is likely to be applied in this situation.

Suspension and National Team Duty

Everton may find themselves without their influential midfielder until the new year. Gueye will complete a three-match suspension against Newcastle United, AFC Bournemouth and Forest but could be called up for AFCON duty by Senegal before he becomes eligible to play against Chelsea on 13 December.

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

Opposition Reaction

At the same time, Mathijs de Ligt claimed his team of lacking immediacy in the recent loss, which halted their unbeaten run at multiple matches.

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

The Red Devils travel to Crystal Palace for the weekend noon kickoff. 'Our upcoming match is absolutely crucial,' said De Ligt. 'We have to bounce back from this performance.'