🔗 Share this article

Idrissa Gueye received a round of applause from his Everton teammates after delivering an explanation for his shocking dismissal during the recent victory at Manchester United.

Unprecedented Situation in Premier League

The midfielder earned the distinction of being the initial Premier League player to be dismissed for hitting a fellow player in 17 years when he struck his defensive colleague during the fixture. The Toffees' performance was heroic as they competed with 10 men for 85 minutes, including stoppage time, to achieve David Moyes' first win at Old Trafford as a away coach in multiple tries.

'My first apology goes to Michael Keane,' he wrote on social media. 'I accept complete responsibility for my actions.'

Dressing Room Response

Gueye was unable to secure an chance to converse with the manager or his colleagues at half-time. Following the match, with the away dressing room celebrating after the 1-0 win, the 36-year-old asked to address the entire group and Keane specifically.

• Gueye apologized to the defender for striking him across the face
• The heated early confrontation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own penalty area
• Additionally he said sorry to the squad for leaving them with a monumental task
• Gueye's words were warmly received by the squad

Possible Ramifications

The 36-year-old may yet be punished by Everton despite the manager's statement that he appreciates his team members fighting with each other. Moyes has a standard disciplinary procedure for red and yellow cards, including fines, which is expected to be implemented in Gueye's case.

Ban and National Team Commitments

Everton could be without their influential player until the January. Gueye will serve a three-game suspension against Newcastle United, AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but could be selected for Africa Cup of Nations responsibilities by Senegal before he can return to play against Chelsea on mid-December.

'Passions can sometimes overflow,' Gueye continued. 'However, there's no excuse for such conduct.'

Opposition Reaction

At the same time, Mathijs de Ligt accused his team of showing no immediacy in Monday's loss, which ended their unbeaten run at five games.

• 'The Premier League is not for the weak,' stated the Dutch defender
• 'We lacked that urgency to score goals,'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' that defend deep it becomes challenging

United travel to Crystal Palace for Sunday's noon kickoff. 'The next game is really important now,' commented the defender. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'