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

Rare Situation in Premier League

Gueye earned the distinction of being the initial Premier League player to be sent off for striking a fellow player in 17 years when he struck his defensive colleague during the match. The Toffees' performance was remarkable as they competed with 10 men for 85 minutes, including added time, to achieve David Moyes' initial victory at Old Trafford as a visiting manager in multiple tries.

'My first apology goes to Michael Keane,' Gueye stated on social media. 'I accept complete responsibility for my actions.'

Dressing Room Response

Gueye did not get an chance to converse with the manager or his colleagues at half-time. Following the match, with the visitors' locker room buzzing after the narrow victory, the 36-year-old requested to speak to the whole team and the defender specifically.

• He expressed regret to the defender for slapping him across the head
• The heated early altercation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own defensive third
• He also said sorry to the team for leaving them with a monumental task
• His apology were positively accepted by the squad

Possible Ramifications

Gueye may yet be punished by Everton despite Moyes' admission that he appreciates his team members fighting with each other. Moyes has a regular disciplinary procedure for red and yellow cards, including fines, which is expected to be implemented in this situation.

Suspension and International Duty

The Merseyside club may find themselves without their influential midfielder until the January. The Senegalese international will complete a three-game suspension against Newcastle United, AFC 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 the Blues on mid-December.

'Emotions can run high,' Gueye continued. 'But nothing justifies such behaviour.'

Opposition Perspective

Meanwhile, Mathijs de Ligt claimed his team of showing no immediacy in the recent defeat, which ended their unbeaten run at five games.

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

United head to Selhurst Park for the weekend lunchtime start. 'The next game is really important now,' commented the defender. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'