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The Everton midfielder received a round of applause from his fellow squad members after delivering an apology for his shocking red card during the recent triumph at Old Trafford.

Unprecedented Incident in Premier League

The midfielder earned the distinction of being the initial Premier League player to be sent off for hitting a fellow player in 17 years when he struck Michael Keane during the match. The Toffees' performance was remarkable 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 away coach in 18 attempts.

'I want to apologise first to Michael Keane,' he wrote on social media. 'I accept complete responsibility for my actions.'

Team Reaction

The Senegalese international did not get an opportunity to speak with Moyes or his colleagues at the interval. Following the match, with the away dressing room celebrating after the narrow victory, the veteran requested to speak to the entire group and Keane in particular.

• Gueye apologized to the defender for slapping him across the face
• The heated early confrontation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own defensive third
• Additionally he said sorry to the team for leaving them with a monumental task
• Gueye's words were positively accepted by the squad

Possible Ramifications

The 36-year-old could still be punished by Everton despite the manager's admission that he likes his players competing with each other. The Scot has a regular punishment process for red and yellow cards, including financial penalties, which is expected to be implemented in Gueye's case.

Suspension and International Duty

The Merseyside club could be without their key midfielder until the January. Gueye will complete a three-match suspension against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but might be called up for Africa Cup of Nations responsibilities by his national team before he becomes eligible to play against Chelsea on mid-December.

'Passions can sometimes overflow,' Gueye continued. 'However, there's no excuse for such conduct.'

Rival Reaction

Meanwhile, Mathijs de Ligt claimed his team of showing no urgency in the recent loss, which ended 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'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' who drop back it's difficult

United head to Selhurst Park for the weekend noon kickoff. 'The next game is really important now,' commented the defender. 'We have to bounce back from this performance.'