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Idrissa Gueye was given a warm ovation from his Everton teammates after issuing an apology for his shocking red card during Monday's triumph at Manchester United.

Unprecedented Incident in Premier League

The midfielder became the initial Premier League player to be sent off for hitting a teammate in nearly two decades when he struck Michael Keane during the match. The Toffees' display was remarkable as they played with a man down for the majority of the game, including added time, to achieve 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 accept complete responsibility for my actions.'

Team Reaction

The Senegalese international was unable to secure an chance to speak with the manager or his teammates at half-time. Afterwards, with the away dressing room celebrating after the narrow victory, the veteran asked to speak to the whole team and the defender in particular.

• Gueye apologized to the defender for striking him across the face
• The intense early altercation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own penalty area
• He also apologized to the squad for putting them with a difficult challenge
• Gueye's words were positively accepted by the squad

Potential Consequences

The 36-year-old may yet be disciplined by the club despite the manager's statement that he appreciates his players competing with each other. The Scot has a regular punishment process for dismissals and cautions, including financial penalties, which is likely to be applied in Gueye's case.

Suspension and National Team Commitments

Everton could be without their influential midfielder until the January. Gueye will serve a three-game ban against Newcastle United, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but might be called up for AFCON responsibilities 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.'

Rival Perspective

At the same time, Mathijs de Ligt accused United of lacking urgency in the recent defeat, which halted their winning streak at five games.

• 'The Premier League is not for the weak,' said the Dutch defender
• 'We lacked that urgency to score goals,'
• 'When facing sides like Everton,' that defend deep it becomes challenging

The Red Devils head to Crystal Palace for Sunday's noon kickoff. 'Our upcoming match is absolutely crucial,' said De Ligt. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'