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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 Monday's victory at Old Trafford.

Unprecedented Incident in Premier League

Gueye earned the distinction of being the first Premier League player to be dismissed for hitting a teammate in nearly two decades when he struck his defensive colleague during the fixture. Everton's performance was heroic as they competed with a man down 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,' he wrote on his accounts. 'I take full responsibility for my reaction.'

Team Response

The Senegalese international did not get an chance to converse with the manager or his colleagues at the interval. Afterwards, with the visitors' locker room buzzing after the narrow victory, the veteran 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 confrontation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own defensive third
• He also apologized to the team for putting them with a difficult challenge
• Gueye's words were positively accepted by the squad

Possible Ramifications

Gueye could still be disciplined by Everton despite Moyes' statement that he appreciates his team members fighting with each other. Moyes has a regular disciplinary procedure for dismissals and cautions, including fines, which is likely to be applied in this situation.

Ban and National Team Duty

Everton may find themselves without their key player until the January. The Senegalese international will complete a three-match suspension against Newcastle, AFC Bournemouth and Forest but might be called up for AFCON responsibilities by Senegal before he becomes eligible to play against Chelsea on mid-December.

'Passions can sometimes overflow,' Gueye continued. 'But nothing justifies such behaviour.'

Opposition Reaction

At the same time, Mathijs de Ligt accused his team of showing no immediacy in the recent loss, which halted their unbeaten run at five games.

• 'The Premier League is not for the weak,' stated the Netherlands international
• 'We were missing the necessary intensity to find the net'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' that defend deep it becomes challenging

The Red Devils travel 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.'