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Idrissa Gueye received a round of applause from his Everton teammates after issuing an explanation for his shocking dismissal during Monday's victory at Manchester United.

Unprecedented Incident in English Football

Gueye earned the distinction of being the initial Premier League player to be dismissed for hitting a teammate in nearly two decades when he slapped Michael Keane during the match. The Toffees' performance was remarkable as they competed with 10 men for the majority of the game, including stoppage time, to secure David Moyes' first win at Old Trafford as a visiting manager in 18 attempts.

'I want to apologise first to Michael Keane,' Gueye stated on social media. 'I take full responsibility for my reaction.'

Team Response

Gueye was unable to secure an opportunity to speak with the manager or his teammates at the interval. Afterwards, with the away dressing room celebrating after the narrow victory, the 36-year-old asked to address the entire group and the defender in particular.

• Gueye apologized to Keane for slapping him across the head
• The intense 13th-minute altercation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own penalty area
• Additionally he said sorry to the squad for putting them with a difficult challenge
• Gueye's words were positively accepted by the squad

Potential Ramifications

The 36-year-old may yet be punished by Everton despite the manager's statement that he likes his team members competing with each other. Moyes has a regular punishment process for red and yellow cards, including financial penalties, which is likely to be implemented in this situation.

Suspension and National Team Commitments

The Merseyside club may find themselves without their influential midfielder until the January. The Senegalese international will serve a three-match suspension against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but might be selected for AFCON responsibilities by his national team before he becomes eligible to play against the Blues on mid-December.

'Emotions can run high,' Gueye continued. 'However, there's no excuse for such conduct.'

Opposition Perspective

Meanwhile, Mathijs de Ligt accused his team of lacking immediacy in Monday's loss, which ended their unbeaten run at multiple matches.

• 'English football doesn't tolerate weakness,' stated the Dutch defender
• 'We lacked that urgency to score goals,'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' that defend deep it's difficult

The Red Devils head to Crystal Palace for the weekend lunchtime start. 'Our upcoming match is absolutely crucial,' said De Ligt. 'We have to bounce back from this performance.'