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Idrissa Gueye was given a warm ovation from his Everton teammates after delivering an apology for his extraordinary red card during Monday's victory at Old Trafford.

Rare Incident in Premier League

The midfielder earned the distinction of being the initial Premier League player to be sent off for hitting a fellow player in 17 years when he struck Michael Keane during the match. Everton's performance was remarkable as they competed with 10 men for the majority of the game, including added time, to secure David Moyes' initial victory at Old Trafford as a visiting manager in multiple tries.

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

Dressing Room Reaction

Gueye was unable to secure an chance to speak with the manager or his colleagues at half-time. Following the match, with the away dressing room buzzing after the narrow victory, the veteran asked to speak to the whole team and the defender in particular.

• Gueye apologized to Keane for slapping him across the head
• The heated early 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

The 36-year-old may yet be punished by the club despite Moyes' admission that he appreciates his team members fighting with each other. The Scot has a standard disciplinary procedure for red and yellow cards, including fines, which is likely to be applied in this situation.

Ban and International Commitments

The Merseyside club could be without their key midfielder until the January. Gueye will serve a three-match ban against Newcastle, AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but could be called up for Africa Cup of Nations duty by his national team before he becomes eligible to play against Chelsea on 13 December.

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

Opposition Reaction

Meanwhile, Mathijs de Ligt accused United of showing no immediacy in the recent defeat, which halted their unbeaten run at five games.

• 'The Premier League is not for the weak,' stated the Netherlands international
• 'We lacked that urgency to score goals,'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' that defend deep 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.'