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Idrissa Gueye was given a round of applause from his fellow squad members after delivering an apology for his extraordinary red card during the recent victory at Manchester United.

Rare Situation in English Football

Gueye earned the distinction of being the first Premier League player to be dismissed for striking a teammate in 17 years when he slapped his defensive colleague during the fixture. Everton's performance was remarkable as they competed with a man down for 85 minutes, including added time, to secure David Moyes' initial victory at Old Trafford as a away coach in 18 attempts.

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

Team Response

Gueye did not get an opportunity to speak with Moyes or his colleagues at the interval. Afterwards, with the visitors' locker room celebrating after the 1-0 win, the veteran asked to address the entire group and the defender in particular.

• Gueye apologized to Keane for striking him across the head
• The intense 13th-minute confrontation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own defensive third
• He also said sorry to the team for putting them with a monumental task
• His apology were positively accepted by the squad

Potential Ramifications

Gueye could still be disciplined by the club despite the manager's admission that he appreciates his team members fighting with each other. The Scot has a regular punishment process for red and yellow cards, including fines, which is likely to be applied in Gueye's case.

Ban and International Commitments

Everton may find themselves without their key midfielder until the January. Gueye will serve a three-game ban against Newcastle United, Bournemouth and Forest but might be called up for Africa Cup of Nations duty by his national team before he becomes eligible to play against Chelsea on mid-December.

'Emotions can run high,' he added. 'However, there's no excuse for such conduct.'

Opposition Reaction

At the same time, Mathijs de Ligt accused United of showing no immediacy in Monday's defeat, which ended their winning streak at five games.

• 'English football doesn't tolerate weakness,' said the Netherlands international
• 'We were missing the necessary intensity to find the net'
• 'When facing sides like Everton,' who drop back it becomes challenging

United head to Crystal Palace for the weekend noon kickoff. 'Our upcoming match is absolutely crucial,' commented De Ligt. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'