🔗 Share this article

The Everton midfielder received a warm ovation from his Everton teammates after issuing an apology for his extraordinary dismissal during the recent triumph at Old Trafford.

Rare Incident in Premier League

The midfielder earned the distinction of being the initial Premier League player to be dismissed for hitting a fellow player in nearly two decades when he struck Michael Keane during the fixture. The Toffees' display was remarkable as they played with a man down for the majority of the game, including added time, to achieve David Moyes' first win at Old Trafford as a away coach in multiple tries.

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

Dressing Room Reaction

Gueye was unable to secure an opportunity to speak with the manager or his teammates at the interval. Following the match, with the visitors' locker room celebrating after the 1-0 win, the 36-year-old requested to address the entire group and Keane in particular.

• Gueye apologized to the defender for striking him across the face
• The heated early confrontation occurred after a poor distribution in his own penalty area
• He also apologized to the squad for putting them with a monumental task
• His apology were positively accepted by the squad

Potential Ramifications

The 36-year-old may yet be punished by Everton despite Moyes' statement that he appreciates his team members competing with each other. The Scot has a regular punishment process for red and yellow cards, including fines, which is expected to be applied in Gueye's case.

Suspension and National Team Commitments

The Merseyside club could be without their key player until the new year. Gueye will serve a three-game suspension against Newcastle, AFC Bournemouth and Forest but could be selected for Africa Cup of Nations duty by Senegal before he can return 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 lacking immediacy in Monday's defeat, which halted their unbeaten run at multiple matches.

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

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