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The Everton midfielder was given a round of applause from his fellow squad members after delivering an apology for his extraordinary red card during the recent triumph at Manchester United.

Rare Situation in English Football

Gueye earned the distinction of being the initial Premier League player to be sent off for hitting a teammate in nearly two decades when he slapped his defensive colleague during the fixture. The Toffees' display was remarkable as they played with 10 men for 85 minutes, including added time, to secure David Moyes' initial victory at Old Trafford as a visiting manager in 18 attempts.

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

Dressing Room Reaction

The Senegalese international did not get an opportunity to converse with Moyes or his teammates at the interval. Following the match, with the visitors' locker room buzzing after the 1-0 win, the 36-year-old requested to speak to the whole team and Keane in particular.

• He expressed regret to the defender for striking him across the face
• The heated 13th-minute altercation occurred after a poor distribution in his own penalty area
• Additionally he apologized to the team for putting them with a difficult challenge
• His apology were warmly received by the squad

Possible Ramifications

Gueye could still be punished by Everton despite the manager's statement that he likes his players fighting with each other. Moyes has a standard punishment process for red and yellow cards, including financial penalties, which is likely to be applied in Gueye's case.

Suspension and International Duty

The Merseyside club may find themselves without their influential player until the new year. The Senegalese international will serve a three-game ban against Newcastle United, Bournemouth and Nottingham 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 13 December.

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

Opposition Perspective

At the same time, Mathijs de Ligt accused his team of showing no urgency in Monday's defeat, which halted their unbeaten run at multiple matches.

• 'English football doesn't tolerate weakness,' stated the Netherlands international
• 'We lacked that urgency to score goals,'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' that defend deep it becomes challenging

The Red Devils travel to Selhurst Park for Sunday's noon kickoff. 'Our upcoming match is absolutely crucial,' said the defender. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'