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Idrissa Gueye received a warm ovation from his fellow squad members after issuing an apology for his extraordinary dismissal during the recent victory at Old Trafford.

Rare Incident in Premier League

Gueye earned the distinction of being the initial Premier League player to be dismissed for striking a fellow player in nearly two decades when he slapped his defensive colleague during the fixture. The Toffees' display was remarkable as they competed with 10 men for 85 minutes, including stoppage time, to achieve David Moyes' initial victory at Old Trafford as a away coach in 18 attempts.

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

Team Response

The Senegalese international was unable to secure an opportunity to converse with the manager or his colleagues at half-time. Afterwards, with the visitors' locker room celebrating after the narrow victory, the 36-year-old asked to speak to the entire group and the defender in particular.

• Gueye apologized to the defender for slapping him across the face
• The intense 13th-minute altercation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own defensive third
• He also apologized to the team for putting them with a monumental task
• His apology were warmly received by the players

Potential Ramifications

The 36-year-old may yet be disciplined by the club despite Moyes' statement that he appreciates his players fighting with each other. The Scot has a standard disciplinary procedure for red and yellow cards, including financial penalties, 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 complete a three-game ban against Newcastle United, Bournemouth and Forest but might be selected for AFCON duty by his national team before he becomes eligible to play against Chelsea on mid-December.

'Emotions can run high,' he added. 'However, there's no excuse for such conduct.'

Opposition Perspective

At the same time, Mathijs de Ligt accused his team of lacking urgency in Monday's loss, which halted their winning streak at multiple matches.

• 'The Premier League is not for the weak,' said the Netherlands international
• 'We were missing the necessary intensity to find the net'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' that defend deep it's difficult

United travel to Selhurst Park for the weekend lunchtime start. 'The next game is really important now,' commented the defender. 'We have to bounce back from this performance.'