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

Unprecedented Situation in Premier League

The midfielder earned the distinction of being the first Premier League player to be dismissed for striking a fellow player in 17 years when he slapped his defensive colleague during the match. Everton's performance was heroic as they competed with 10 men for the majority of the game, including stoppage time, to secure David Moyes' first win at Old Trafford as a visiting manager in 18 attempts.

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

Dressing Room Reaction

Gueye did not get an chance to speak with Moyes or his colleagues at half-time. Afterwards, with the visitors' locker room buzzing after the narrow victory, the 36-year-old asked to speak to the whole team and the defender in particular.

• He expressed regret to Keane for slapping him across the face
• The intense 13th-minute confrontation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own defensive third
• Additionally he apologized to the team for putting them with a difficult challenge
• His apology were positively accepted by the players

Potential Ramifications

The 36-year-old could still be disciplined by Everton despite the manager's admission that he likes his players competing with each other. The Scot has a regular disciplinary procedure for red and yellow cards, including fines, which is likely to be implemented in this situation.

Ban and National Team Duty

Everton may find themselves without their influential midfielder until the January. The Senegalese international will complete a three-match ban against Newcastle, AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but might be called up for Africa Cup of Nations responsibilities by Senegal before he can return to play against the Blues on mid-December.

'Passions can sometimes overflow,' he added. 'However, there's no excuse for such conduct.'

Opposition Perspective

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

• 'The Premier League is not for the weak,' said the Netherlands international
• 'We were missing the necessary intensity to find the net'
• 'When facing sides like Everton,' that defend deep it becomes challenging

The Red Devils travel to Selhurst Park for Sunday's noon kickoff. 'Our upcoming match is absolutely crucial,' said the defender. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'