Toffees Squad Members Give Applause to Idrissa Gueye After Sincere Apology for Keane Slap

Idrissa Gueye received a warm ovation from his Everton teammates after issuing an explanation for his shocking red card during the recent victory at Manchester United.

Unprecedented Situation 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 Michael Keane during the fixture. Everton's performance was remarkable as they competed with 10 men for 85 minutes, including stoppage time, to secure David Moyes' first win at Old Trafford as a visiting manager in multiple tries.

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

Team Response

Gueye did not get an chance to converse with the manager or his teammates at half-time. Afterwards, with the visitors' locker room celebrating after the 1-0 win, the veteran requested to address the whole team and Keane specifically.

• He expressed regret to the defender for striking him across the face
• The intense 13th-minute confrontation 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

Possible Consequences

Gueye may yet be disciplined by the club despite Moyes' admission that he appreciates his team members competing with each other. Moyes has a regular disciplinary procedure for red and yellow cards, including fines, which is expected to be implemented in this situation.

Ban and International Duty

The Merseyside club may find themselves without their key midfielder until the January. Gueye will complete a three-game suspension against Newcastle, AFC Bournemouth and Forest but could be called up for AFCON responsibilities by his national team before he becomes eligible to play against the Blues on 13 December.

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

Opposition Reaction

Meanwhile, Mathijs de Ligt claimed his team of showing no urgency in the recent loss, which halted their winning streak at five games.

• 'The Premier League is not for the weak,' said the Dutch defender
• 'We were missing the necessary intensity to find the net'
• 'When facing sides like Everton,' who drop back it becomes challenging

United travel to Crystal Palace for Sunday's lunchtime start. 'The next game is really important now,' said De Ligt. 'We have to bounce back from this performance.'