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Idrissa Gueye was given a warm ovation from his fellow squad members after delivering an explanation for his shocking red card during Monday's victory at Old Trafford.

Unprecedented Situation in Premier League

Gueye became the first Premier League player to be dismissed for striking a teammate in nearly two decades when he struck Michael Keane during the fixture. The Toffees' display was heroic as they competed with a man down for the majority of the game, including stoppage time, to secure David Moyes' first win at Old Trafford as a away coach in 18 attempts.

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

Team Response

The Senegalese international was unable to secure an opportunity to speak with Moyes or his teammates at the interval. Following the match, with the visitors' locker room buzzing after the narrow victory, the veteran requested to address the entire group and Keane specifically.

• Gueye apologized to the defender for slapping him across the head
• The intense 13th-minute altercation occurred after a poor distribution in his own penalty area
• He also said sorry to the squad for leaving them with a difficult challenge
• His apology were warmly received by the players

Potential Consequences

The 36-year-old may yet be disciplined by the club despite the manager's statement that he appreciates his team members fighting with each other. The Scot has a standard disciplinary procedure for dismissals and cautions, including financial penalties, which is likely to be implemented in Gueye's case.

Suspension and National Team Duty

Everton may find themselves without their key midfielder until the January. Gueye will serve a three-match suspension against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but might be called up for Africa Cup of Nations responsibilities by his national team before he becomes eligible to play against the Blues on mid-December.

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

Opposition Reaction

Meanwhile, Mathijs de Ligt claimed United of showing no immediacy in the recent loss, which ended their unbeaten run at five games.

• 'English football doesn't tolerate weakness,' stated the Dutch defender
• 'We lacked that urgency to score goals,'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' who drop back it's difficult

United head to Crystal Palace for the weekend noon kickoff. 'The next game is really important now,' commented De Ligt. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'