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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 Old Trafford.

Rare Situation in English Football

The midfielder 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. The Toffees' performance was remarkable as they played with a man down for the majority of the game, including stoppage time, to achieve David Moyes' initial victory at Old Trafford as a visiting manager in 18 attempts.

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

Dressing Room Response

Gueye was unable to secure an chance to speak with the manager or his teammates at half-time. Following the match, with the away dressing room buzzing after the narrow victory, the veteran asked to speak to the whole team and the defender in particular.

• He expressed regret to Keane for slapping him across the head
• The intense early confrontation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own penalty area
• He also apologized to the team for putting them with a monumental task
• His apology were warmly received by the players

Possible Ramifications

Gueye may yet be disciplined by the club despite the manager's admission that he appreciates his team members competing with each other. The Scot has a standard punishment process for dismissals and cautions, including financial penalties, which is expected to be applied in this situation.

Suspension and National Team Duty

The Merseyside club may find themselves without their influential midfielder until the new year. The Senegalese international will complete a three-game suspension against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but might be selected for Africa Cup of Nations responsibilities by Senegal before he can return to play against the Blues on mid-December.

'Emotions can run high,' he added. 'But nothing justifies such behaviour.'

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,' stated the Dutch defender
• 'We lacked that urgency to score goals,'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' who drop back it's difficult

The Red Devils travel to Selhurst Park for Sunday's lunchtime start. 'The next game is really important now,' commented the defender. 'We have to bounce back from this performance.'