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The Everton midfielder was given a round of applause from his Everton teammates after delivering an apology for his extraordinary dismissal during the recent triumph at Manchester United.

Rare Incident in English Football

The midfielder earned the distinction of being the initial Premier League player to be sent off for hitting a fellow player in 17 years when he struck Michael Keane during the fixture. Everton's display was remarkable as they played with 10 men for the majority of the game, including added time, to secure 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 take full responsibility for my reaction.'

Dressing Room Response

The Senegalese international was unable to secure an opportunity to speak with Moyes or his teammates at the interval. Following the match, with the away dressing room celebrating after the 1-0 win, the 36-year-old requested to speak to the entire group and the defender specifically.

• Gueye apologized to the defender for striking him across the face
• The intense 13th-minute confrontation occurred after a poor distribution in his own defensive third
• He also said sorry to the squad for leaving them with a monumental task
• Gueye's words were positively accepted by the players

Possible Consequences

Gueye may yet be disciplined by Everton despite Moyes' statement 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 applied in this situation.

Suspension and National Team Commitments

The Merseyside club may find themselves without their key midfielder until the January. The Senegalese international will complete a three-match ban against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Forest but could be called up for Africa Cup of Nations responsibilities by his national team before he can return to play against Chelsea on 13 December.

'Passions can sometimes overflow,' he added. 'However, there's no excuse for such conduct.'

Opposition Reaction

At the same time, Mathijs de Ligt claimed his team of showing no immediacy in the recent defeat, which halted their winning streak at five games.

• 'English football doesn't tolerate weakness,' stated 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 head to Selhurst Park for Sunday's noon kickoff. 'The next game is really important now,' said the defender. 'We have to bounce back from this performance.'