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Idrissa Gueye received a warm ovation from his Everton teammates after delivering an apology for his extraordinary dismissal during the recent triumph at Old Trafford.

Unprecedented Incident in Premier League

Gueye earned the distinction of being the first Premier League player to be sent off for striking a teammate in nearly two decades when he struck his defensive colleague during the fixture. Everton's display was remarkable as they played with a man down for 85 minutes, including stoppage time, to achieve David Moyes' initial victory at Old Trafford as a visiting manager in 18 attempts.

'My first apology goes to Michael Keane,' he wrote on social media. 'I take full responsibility for my reaction.'

Dressing Room Reaction

Gueye did not get an chance to converse with Moyes or his colleagues at half-time. Afterwards, with the visitors' locker room celebrating after the narrow victory, the veteran requested to address the whole team and Keane in particular.

• Gueye apologized to the defender for slapping him across the head
• The heated 13th-minute altercation occurred after a poor distribution in his own defensive third
• He also apologized to the team for leaving them with a monumental task
• His apology were positively accepted by the players

Possible Ramifications

Gueye could still be punished by the club despite the manager's statement that he likes his team members fighting with each other. Moyes has a standard punishment process for dismissals and cautions, including fines, which is likely to be implemented in Gueye's case.

Suspension and National Team Duty

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

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

Rival Perspective

Meanwhile, Mathijs de Ligt accused his team of showing no urgency in the recent defeat, which halted their unbeaten run at multiple matches.

• 'The Premier League is not for the weak,' stated the Dutch defender
• 'We were missing the necessary intensity to find the net'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' who drop back it's difficult

United head to Selhurst Park for Sunday's lunchtime start. 'The next game is really important now,' said De Ligt. 'We have to bounce back from this performance.'