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Idrissa Gueye received a round of applause from his Everton teammates after issuing an explanation for his extraordinary red card during Monday's victory at Manchester United.

Rare Situation in English Football

The midfielder earned the distinction of being the first Premier League player to be sent off for hitting a teammate in nearly two decades when he slapped his defensive colleague during the fixture. The Toffees' performance was remarkable as they played with 10 men for the majority of the game, including added time, to achieve David Moyes' first win at Old Trafford as a away coach in multiple tries.

'My first apology goes to Michael Keane,' Gueye stated on social media. 'I take full responsibility for my reaction.'

Dressing Room Response

The Senegalese international did not get an opportunity 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 entire group and the defender specifically.

• Gueye apologized to Keane for slapping him across the head
• The intense 13th-minute 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
• His apology were positively accepted by the squad

Possible Ramifications

Gueye may yet be punished by the club despite the manager's statement that he appreciates his players competing with each other. Moyes has a regular punishment process for dismissals and cautions, including fines, which is likely to be applied in this situation.

Ban and International Duty

The Merseyside club could be without their influential player until the January. The Senegalese international will serve a three-match ban against Newcastle United, AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but might be called up for AFCON duty by Senegal before he becomes eligible to play against the Blues on mid-December.

'Passions can sometimes overflow,' Gueye continued. 'But nothing justifies such behaviour.'

Opposition Reaction

At the same time, Mathijs de Ligt claimed United of lacking immediacy in the recent loss, which halted their unbeaten run at five games.

• 'English football doesn't tolerate weakness,' said the Dutch defender
• 'We lacked that urgency to score goals,'
• 'When facing sides like Everton,' who drop back it's difficult

The Red Devils head to Crystal Palace for the weekend noon kickoff. 'The next game is really important now,' commented the defender. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'