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Idrissa Gueye received a round of applause from his Everton teammates after delivering an apology for his extraordinary red card during Monday's victory at Manchester United.

Unprecedented Situation in English Football

The midfielder earned the distinction of being the first Premier League player to be sent off for striking a teammate in nearly two decades when he slapped Michael Keane during the match. Everton's display was remarkable as they played with 10 men for 85 minutes, including added time, to achieve David Moyes' first win 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 was unable to secure an opportunity to converse with the manager or his teammates at the interval. Following the match, with the visitors' locker room buzzing after the narrow victory, the 36-year-old asked to address the whole team and Keane specifically.

• He expressed regret to the defender for slapping him across the face
• The intense early confrontation occurred after a poor distribution in his own defensive third
• He also apologized to the squad for leaving them with a difficult challenge
• His apology were positively accepted by the players

Potential Consequences

The 36-year-old may yet be disciplined by the club despite Moyes' statement that he appreciates his players competing with each other. The Scot has a regular disciplinary procedure for dismissals and cautions, including fines, which is likely to be applied in this situation.

Suspension and National Team Duty

The Merseyside club could be without their influential player until the January. Gueye will serve a three-match ban against Newcastle, AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but could be called up for Africa Cup of Nations responsibilities by Senegal 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.'

Opposition Perspective

At the same time, the Manchester United defender claimed United of lacking urgency in the recent defeat, which halted their winning streak at multiple matches.

• 'English football doesn't tolerate weakness,' said the Dutch defender
• 'We lacked that urgency to score goals,'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' that defend deep it's difficult

The Red Devils head to Crystal Palace for the weekend lunchtime start. 'The next game is really important now,' commented the defender. 'We have to bounce back from this performance.'