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The Everton midfielder received a round of applause from his fellow squad members after issuing an explanation for his extraordinary dismissal during the recent victory at Old Trafford.

Unprecedented Incident in Premier League

The midfielder became the first Premier League player to be dismissed for hitting a fellow player in nearly two decades when he slapped his defensive colleague during the match. The Toffees' performance was heroic as they played with a man down for the majority of the game, including added time, to achieve 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

Gueye did not get an opportunity to converse with the manager or his teammates at the interval. Afterwards, with the away dressing room buzzing after the 1-0 win, the veteran asked to address the entire group and the defender specifically.

• He expressed regret to the defender for slapping him across the head
• The intense early confrontation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own defensive third
• He also apologized to the team for leaving them with a difficult challenge
• His apology were positively accepted by the players

Potential Ramifications

Gueye could still be punished by the club despite the manager's admission that he likes his team members fighting with each other. Moyes has a standard punishment process for red and yellow cards, including financial penalties, which is expected to be implemented in Gueye's case.

Ban and International Duty

Everton could be without their key midfielder until the January. Gueye will complete a three-game suspension against Newcastle United, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but might be selected for AFCON responsibilities by Senegal before he can return to play against the Blues on 13 December.

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

Opposition Perspective

Meanwhile, Mathijs de Ligt accused United of lacking urgency in Monday's loss, which ended their winning streak at multiple matches.

• '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,' who drop back it becomes challenging

The Red Devils travel to Crystal Palace for the weekend lunchtime start. 'The next game is really important now,' commented the defender. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'