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Idrissa Gueye received a round of applause from his fellow squad members after issuing an apology for his shocking red card during Monday's victory at Manchester United.

Rare Situation in English Football

The midfielder earned the distinction of being the initial Premier League player to be sent off for hitting a fellow player in nearly two decades when he slapped his defensive colleague during the fixture. Everton's display was remarkable as they played with a man down for the majority of the game, including stoppage 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,' he wrote on his accounts. 'I accept complete responsibility for my actions.'

Team Reaction

The Senegalese international did not get an chance to converse with the manager or his colleagues at half-time. Afterwards, with the visitors' locker room celebrating after the narrow victory, the veteran requested to speak to the entire group and Keane in particular.

• Gueye apologized to the defender for slapping him across the face
• The intense early confrontation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own penalty area
• Additionally he apologized to the team for leaving them with a difficult challenge
• His apology were positively accepted by the players

Possible Ramifications

Gueye may yet be disciplined by the club despite the manager's admission that he likes his team members competing with each other. The Scot has a standard disciplinary procedure for dismissals and cautions, including fines, which is expected to be applied in Gueye's case.

Suspension and International Commitments

Everton may find themselves without their influential midfielder until the January. Gueye will serve a three-game suspension against Newcastle, 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 mid-December.

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

Opposition Perspective

Meanwhile, the Manchester United defender accused United of showing no urgency in Monday's loss, which halted their unbeaten run at five games.

• 'English football doesn't tolerate weakness,' said the Dutch defender
• 'We were missing the necessary intensity to find the net'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' that defend deep it's difficult

The Red Devils head to Selhurst Park for the weekend lunchtime start. 'The next game is really important now,' said De Ligt. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'