Toffees Teammates Give Applause to Idrissa Gueye After Apology for Keane Slap

Idrissa Gueye was given a round of applause from his Everton teammates after issuing an explanation for his shocking dismissal during the recent triumph at Manchester United.

Rare Situation in English Football

The midfielder earned the distinction of being the initial Premier League player to be dismissed for striking a teammate in nearly two decades when he struck his defensive colleague during the match. Everton's performance was heroic as they played with 10 men for 85 minutes, including stoppage time, to achieve David Moyes' initial victory at Old Trafford as a away coach in multiple tries.

'I want to apologise first to Michael Keane,' Gueye stated on social media. 'I take full responsibility for my reaction.'

Team Response

The Senegalese international did not get an chance to speak with the manager or his teammates at half-time. Following the match, with the visitors' locker room celebrating after the narrow victory, the veteran requested to address the entire group and Keane specifically.

• Gueye apologized to Keane for slapping him across the head
• The heated early altercation occurred after a poor distribution in his own defensive third
• Additionally he said sorry to the squad for leaving them with a difficult challenge
• His apology were warmly received by the players

Possible Ramifications

Gueye may yet be disciplined by the club despite Moyes' statement that he appreciates his team members fighting with each other. The Scot has a standard disciplinary procedure for dismissals and cautions, including fines, which is expected to be applied in this situation.

Suspension and National Team Duty

Everton could be without their influential player until the new year. Gueye will serve a three-game suspension against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Forest but could be selected for Africa Cup of Nations duty by Senegal before he can return to play against the Blues on mid-December.

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

Opposition Perspective

Meanwhile, Mathijs de Ligt claimed his team of showing no immediacy in the recent defeat, which ended their winning streak at five games.

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

United travel to Crystal Palace for the weekend lunchtime start. 'The next game is really important now,' commented the defender. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'