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The Everton midfielder was given a warm ovation from his Everton teammates after issuing an explanation for his extraordinary red card during the recent triumph at Manchester United.

Rare Situation in Premier League

Gueye earned the distinction of being the initial Premier League player to be sent off for hitting a fellow player in nearly two decades when he struck his defensive colleague during the fixture. The Toffees' performance was remarkable as they competed with 10 men for the majority of the game, including added time, to achieve David Moyes' initial victory at Old Trafford as a visiting manager in multiple tries.

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

Dressing Room Reaction

Gueye did not get an chance to converse with Moyes or his colleagues at the interval. Afterwards, with the away dressing room celebrating after the 1-0 win, the veteran asked to address the whole team and the defender in particular.

• He expressed regret to the defender for striking him across the head
• The intense 13th-minute altercation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own defensive third
• He also said sorry to the team for putting them with a difficult challenge
• His apology were warmly received by the squad

Possible Consequences

Gueye may yet be punished by Everton despite Moyes' statement that he likes his players fighting with each other. The Scot has a standard disciplinary procedure for red and yellow cards, including financial penalties, which is likely to be applied in this situation.

Ban and National Team Duty

The Merseyside club could be without their key player until the January. The Senegalese international will complete a three-game suspension against Newcastle United, AFC Bournemouth and Forest but might be selected for AFCON responsibilities by his national team before he can return to play against the Blues on mid-December.

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

Rival Reaction

Meanwhile, Mathijs de Ligt claimed his team of showing no immediacy in the recent loss, which ended their unbeaten run at multiple matches.

• 'The Premier League is not for the weak,' stated the Dutch defender
• 'We were missing the necessary intensity to find the net'
• 'When facing sides like Everton,' that defend deep it becomes challenging

United head 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.'