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The Everton midfielder received a warm ovation from his Everton teammates after issuing an explanation for his extraordinary red card during the recent triumph at Old Trafford.

Unprecedented Situation in Premier League

Gueye earned the distinction of being the first Premier League player to be sent off for striking a teammate in nearly two decades when he slapped his defensive colleague during the fixture. The Toffees' display was remarkable as they competed with a man down for the majority of the game, including added time, to secure David Moyes' first win at Old Trafford as a visiting manager in 18 attempts.

'My first apology goes to Michael Keane,' he wrote on his accounts. 'I accept complete responsibility for my actions.'

Dressing Room Reaction

Gueye was unable to secure an opportunity to converse with Moyes or his teammates at half-time. Afterwards, with the away dressing room buzzing after the 1-0 win, the veteran asked to speak to the entire group and the defender specifically.

• Gueye apologized to the defender for slapping him across the head
• The heated early altercation occurred after a poor distribution in his own penalty area
• He also apologized to the squad for leaving them with a monumental task
• Gueye's words were positively accepted by the players

Possible Ramifications

The 36-year-old may yet be disciplined by the club despite the manager's admission that he appreciates his players competing with each other. Moyes has a standard punishment process for red and yellow cards, including fines, which is expected to be implemented in Gueye's case.

Ban and International Commitments

Everton could be without their key midfielder until the new year. Gueye will serve a three-match ban against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but could be selected for AFCON duty by Senegal before he becomes eligible to play against Chelsea on 13 December.

'Passions can sometimes overflow,' Gueye continued. 'However, there's no excuse for such conduct.'

Opposition Perspective

At the same time, Mathijs de Ligt accused his team of lacking urgency in Monday's defeat, which ended 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,' who drop back it's difficult

United head to Selhurst Park for the weekend noon kickoff. 'The next game is really important now,' commented De Ligt. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'