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The Everton midfielder received a round of applause from his Everton teammates after delivering an apology for his extraordinary dismissal during the recent triumph at Manchester United.

Unprecedented Incident in Premier League

Gueye earned the distinction of being 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. Everton's performance was remarkable as they competed with a man down for the majority of the game, 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,' he wrote on social media. 'I take full responsibility for my reaction.'

Team Reaction

The Senegalese international was unable to secure an opportunity to speak with Moyes or his teammates at half-time. Afterwards, with the visitors' locker room celebrating after the narrow victory, the 36-year-old requested to speak to the entire group and the defender in particular.

• Gueye apologized to Keane for striking him across the face
• The heated 13th-minute confrontation occurred after a poor distribution in his own penalty area
• He also said sorry to the squad for leaving them with a difficult challenge
• Gueye's words were positively accepted by the squad

Potential Ramifications

The 36-year-old may yet be disciplined by Everton despite Moyes' statement that he appreciates his players competing with each other. The Scot has a standard punishment process for red and yellow cards, including fines, which is likely to be implemented in this situation.

Suspension and National Team Duty

Everton could be without their influential player until the January. The Senegalese international will complete a three-match suspension against Newcastle, AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but might be selected for Africa Cup of Nations duty by Senegal before he becomes eligible to play against the Blues on mid-December.

'Passions can sometimes overflow,' he added. 'But nothing justifies such behaviour.'

Opposition Perspective

Meanwhile, Mathijs de Ligt accused his team of showing no urgency in Monday's loss, which ended their unbeaten run at multiple matches.

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

The Red Devils travel to Selhurst Park for the weekend lunchtime start. 'Our upcoming match is absolutely crucial,' said De Ligt. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'