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Idrissa Gueye received a round of applause from his Everton teammates after delivering an explanation for his shocking red card during the recent victory at Old Trafford.

Unprecedented Incident in English Football

Gueye earned the distinction of being the initial Premier League player to be dismissed for hitting a fellow player in 17 years when he slapped Michael Keane during the fixture. The Toffees' performance was remarkable as they competed with 10 men for 85 minutes, including added time, to secure David Moyes' initial victory at Old Trafford as a away coach in 18 attempts.

'My first apology goes to Michael Keane,' he wrote on his accounts. 'I take full responsibility for my reaction.'

Dressing Room Reaction

Gueye was unable to secure an opportunity to speak with Moyes or his colleagues at half-time. Following the match, with the away dressing room celebrating after the narrow victory, the 36-year-old requested to speak to the entire group and Keane specifically.

• Gueye apologized to the defender for slapping him across the head
• The heated 13th-minute confrontation occurred after a poor distribution in his own penalty area
• Additionally he said sorry to the team for leaving them with a difficult challenge
• His apology were warmly received by the squad

Possible Ramifications

The 36-year-old may yet be punished by the club despite the manager's admission that he likes his team members competing with each other. The Scot has a standard disciplinary procedure for dismissals and cautions, including financial penalties, which is likely to be implemented in Gueye's case.

Ban and National Team Commitments

Everton may find themselves without their influential player until the new year. Gueye will serve a three-match suspension against Newcastle, AFC Bournemouth and Forest but might be selected for AFCON duty by Senegal before he can return to play against Chelsea on mid-December.

'Passions can sometimes overflow,' Gueye continued. 'However, there's no excuse for such conduct.'

Rival Perspective

At the same time, the Manchester United defender claimed United of showing no immediacy in Monday's 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'
• 'When facing sides like Everton,' that defend deep it becomes challenging

The Red Devils travel to Selhurst Park for the weekend lunchtime start. 'The next game is really important now,' commented De Ligt. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'