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The Everton midfielder was given a warm ovation from his Everton teammates after issuing an apology for his shocking dismissal during Monday's victory at Manchester United.

Rare Incident in English Football

The midfielder became the initial Premier League player to be sent off for hitting a fellow player in 17 years when he slapped his defensive colleague during the match. Everton's performance was remarkable as they played with a man down for 85 minutes, including stoppage time, to secure David Moyes' first win at Old Trafford as a away coach in 18 attempts.

'My first apology goes to Michael Keane,' Gueye stated on his accounts. 'I take full responsibility for my reaction.'

Dressing Room Reaction

The Senegalese international did not get an chance to speak with Moyes or his teammates at half-time. Following the match, with the away dressing room buzzing after the narrow victory, the 36-year-old asked to address the whole team and Keane in particular.

• He expressed regret to Keane for striking him across the head
• The intense early confrontation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own penalty area
• He also apologized to the team for putting them with a difficult challenge
• His apology were positively accepted by the players

Potential Ramifications

Gueye could still be disciplined by Everton despite the manager's admission that he likes his team members competing with each other. The Scot has a regular disciplinary procedure for red and yellow cards, including fines, which is likely to be applied in this situation.

Ban and National Team Duty

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

'Passions can sometimes overflow,' he added. 'But nothing justifies such behaviour.'

Opposition Perspective

At the same time, the Manchester United defender claimed his team of lacking urgency in Monday's defeat, which ended their winning streak 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

The Red Devils head to Selhurst Park for Sunday's lunchtime start. 'Our upcoming match is absolutely crucial,' said the defender. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'