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The Everton midfielder received a round of applause from his Everton teammates after delivering an explanation for his shocking red card during the recent victory at Manchester United.

Rare Situation in Premier League

The midfielder became the first Premier League player to be dismissed for striking a teammate in 17 years when he slapped his defensive colleague during the fixture. The Toffees' display was heroic as they competed with a man down for 85 minutes, including added time, to achieve David Moyes' first win at Old Trafford as a away coach in multiple tries.

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

Team Reaction

The Senegalese international was unable to secure an chance to converse with Moyes or his colleagues at the interval. Following the match, with the visitors' locker room buzzing after the 1-0 win, the 36-year-old asked to address the whole team and the defender specifically.

• Gueye apologized to the defender for slapping him across the head
• The heated early confrontation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own defensive third
• He also said sorry to the squad for putting them with a difficult challenge
• His apology were positively accepted by the squad

Potential Consequences

The 36-year-old may yet be disciplined by the club despite Moyes' statement that he likes 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 this situation.

Ban and International Duty

Everton could be without their influential midfielder until the new year. The Senegalese international will serve a three-match ban against Newcastle United, AFC Bournemouth and Forest but could be selected for Africa Cup of Nations responsibilities by his national team before he becomes eligible to play against the Blues on 13 December.

'Passions can sometimes overflow,' he added. 'But nothing justifies such behaviour.'

Opposition Perspective

Meanwhile, Mathijs de Ligt claimed United of lacking immediacy in the recent defeat, which halted their unbeaten run at multiple matches.

• 'The Premier League is not for the weak,' said the Netherlands international
• 'We were missing the necessary intensity to find the net'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' who drop back it becomes challenging

United travel to Crystal Palace for the weekend noon kickoff. 'The next game is really important now,' said the defender. 'We have to bounce back from this performance.'