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Idrissa Gueye received a round of applause from his Everton teammates after issuing an explanation for his extraordinary dismissal during Monday's victory at Old Trafford.

Rare Situation in Premier League

Gueye earned the distinction of being the initial Premier League player to be sent off for hitting a teammate in nearly two decades when he slapped Michael Keane during the fixture. Everton's performance was heroic as they competed with 10 men for 85 minutes, including stoppage time, to achieve David Moyes' first win at Old Trafford as a away coach in 18 attempts.

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

Team Reaction

Gueye did not get an chance to converse with the manager or his teammates at half-time. Following the match, with the visitors' locker room celebrating after the narrow victory, the veteran asked to speak to the entire group and Keane in particular.

• Gueye apologized to Keane for slapping him across the face
• The intense 13th-minute altercation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own penalty area
• Additionally he apologized to the squad for leaving them with a difficult challenge
• Gueye's words were warmly received by the players

Possible Consequences

The 36-year-old could still be punished by the club despite the manager's statement that he likes his players competing with each other. The Scot has a standard punishment process for red and yellow cards, including fines, which is expected to be implemented in this situation.

Suspension and International Duty

Everton may find themselves without their key player until the January. Gueye will complete a three-match ban against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Forest but might be called up for Africa Cup of Nations duty by his national team before he can return to play against Chelsea on mid-December.

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

Opposition Reaction

Meanwhile, Mathijs de Ligt accused United of lacking 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 lacked that urgency to score goals,'
• 'When facing sides like Everton,' that defend deep it's difficult

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