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The Everton midfielder received a round of applause from his fellow squad members after issuing an explanation for his shocking dismissal during Monday's triumph at Manchester United.

Unprecedented Situation in Premier League

The midfielder earned the distinction of being the initial Premier League player to be dismissed for hitting a teammate in nearly two decades when he slapped his defensive colleague during the match. 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 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 was unable to secure an chance to converse with the manager or his colleagues at the interval. Following the match, with the visitors' locker room celebrating after the 1-0 win, the 36-year-old requested to address the entire group and the defender specifically.

• Gueye apologized to the defender for striking him across the face
• The heated early confrontation occurred after a poor distribution in his own penalty area
• He also said sorry to the team for leaving them with a difficult challenge
• His apology were positively accepted by the players

Possible Ramifications

Gueye could still be punished by Everton despite the manager's admission that he appreciates his players fighting with each other. The Scot has a standard punishment process for red and yellow cards, including fines, which is expected to be applied in this situation.

Suspension and International Duty

Everton could be without their key midfielder until the January. The Senegalese international will serve a three-game suspension against Newcastle, AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but might be called up for AFCON duty by Senegal before he can return to play against Chelsea on mid-December.

'Passions can sometimes overflow,' Gueye continued. 'But nothing justifies such behaviour.'

Rival Perspective

At the same time, the Manchester United defender accused United of showing no immediacy in the recent loss, which halted their unbeaten run at five games.

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

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