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Idrissa Gueye was given a warm ovation from his Everton teammates after issuing an apology for his extraordinary red card during the recent victory at Manchester United.

Unprecedented Situation in Premier League

The midfielder earned the distinction of being the initial Premier League player to be dismissed for striking a teammate in 17 years when he struck Michael Keane during the fixture. The Toffees' display was heroic as they played with 10 men for the majority of the game, including stoppage time, to achieve 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 take full responsibility for my reaction.'

Team Reaction

Gueye was unable to secure an opportunity to speak with Moyes or his teammates at half-time. Afterwards, with the away dressing room buzzing after the narrow victory, the 36-year-old requested to speak to the whole team and the defender in particular.

• Gueye apologized to the defender for slapping him across the head
• The intense 13th-minute altercation occurred after a poor distribution in his own penalty area
• He also apologized to the team for putting them with a monumental task
• His apology were positively accepted by the squad

Potential Ramifications

The 36-year-old could still be disciplined by the club despite the manager's statement that he likes his players competing with each other. The Scot has a standard disciplinary procedure for dismissals and cautions, including fines, which is likely to be applied in this situation.

Ban and National Team Duty

Everton could be without their influential midfielder until the January. The Senegalese international will serve a three-match ban against Newcastle United, Bournemouth and Forest but could be selected for Africa Cup of Nations responsibilities by Senegal before he can return to play against the Blues on mid-December.

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

Opposition Reaction

At the same time, Mathijs de Ligt claimed United of lacking urgency in Monday's defeat, which halted their winning streak at five games.

• 'The Premier League is not for the weak,' stated the Dutch defender
• 'We lacked that urgency to score goals,'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' who drop back it becomes challenging

United head to Crystal Palace for Sunday's lunchtime start. 'Our upcoming match is absolutely crucial,' said De Ligt. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'