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The Everton midfielder was given a round of applause from his Everton teammates after delivering an apology for his extraordinary red card during the recent triumph at Old Trafford.

Rare Incident in English Football

Gueye became the first Premier League player to be sent off for striking a teammate in nearly two decades when he slapped his defensive colleague during the match. The Toffees' display was remarkable as they competed with 10 men for the majority of the game, including stoppage time, to achieve 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 Reaction

The Senegalese international was unable to secure an chance to speak with the manager or his teammates at the interval. Following the match, with the away dressing room buzzing after the narrow victory, the 36-year-old asked to speak to the whole team and the defender specifically.

• Gueye apologized to Keane for slapping him across the face
• The intense early altercation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own defensive third
• Additionally he apologized to the squad for putting 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 players competing with each other. Moyes has a standard punishment process for dismissals and cautions, including fines, which is expected to be implemented in Gueye's case.

Ban and National Team Commitments

Everton may find themselves without their influential midfielder until the new year. The Senegalese international will serve a three-match suspension against Newcastle, AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but might be selected for AFCON duty by his national team before he can return to play against Chelsea 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 urgency in the recent defeat, which ended their winning streak at five games.

• 'English football doesn't tolerate weakness,' stated the Netherlands international
• 'We were missing the necessary intensity to find the net'
• 'When facing sides like Everton,' who drop back it's difficult

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