Everton Squad Members Applaud Idrissa Gueye After Sincere Apology for Keane Slap

The Everton midfielder was given a round of applause from his fellow squad members after delivering an explanation for his extraordinary red card during Monday's triumph at Manchester United.

Rare Situation in Premier League

The midfielder became the initial Premier League player to be sent off for striking a fellow player in 17 years when he slapped his defensive colleague during the fixture. Everton's performance was heroic as they played with a man down for 85 minutes, including added time, to secure David Moyes' initial victory at Old Trafford as a away coach in 18 attempts.

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

Dressing Room Response

The Senegalese international did not get an chance to converse with Moyes or his teammates at the interval. Following the match, with the visitors' locker room celebrating after the narrow victory, the veteran asked to address the entire group and Keane in particular.

• He expressed regret to Keane for slapping him across the head
• The heated 13th-minute confrontation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own penalty area
• Additionally he said sorry to the team for leaving them with a monumental task
• His apology were positively accepted by the squad

Potential Ramifications

Gueye could still be punished by Everton despite Moyes' statement that he appreciates his team members fighting with each other. The Scot has a regular disciplinary procedure for red and yellow cards, including fines, which is likely to be applied in Gueye's case.

Ban and National Team Commitments

The Merseyside club could be without their key midfielder until the new year. Gueye will complete a three-game ban against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but might be called up for AFCON responsibilities by Senegal before he can return to play against Chelsea on 13 December.

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

Rival Perspective

At the same time, the Manchester United defender accused his team of lacking immediacy in the recent defeat, which ended their winning streak at multiple matches.

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

The Red Devils head to Selhurst Park for the weekend noon kickoff. 'The next game is really important now,' commented De Ligt. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'