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The Everton midfielder received a warm ovation from his Everton teammates after issuing an explanation for his extraordinary dismissal during Monday's triumph at Old Trafford.

Unprecedented Incident in Premier League

The midfielder earned the distinction of being the first Premier League player to be sent off for striking a fellow player in nearly two decades when he slapped his defensive colleague during the match. Everton's display was remarkable as they played with 10 men for the majority of the game, including added 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 his accounts. 'I take full responsibility for my reaction.'

Dressing Room Reaction

Gueye was unable to secure an chance to speak with the manager or his colleagues at half-time. Afterwards, with the visitors' locker room buzzing after the 1-0 win, the 36-year-old requested to address the whole team and Keane specifically.

• He expressed regret to the defender for slapping him across the face
• The intense 13th-minute confrontation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own penalty area
• He also said sorry to the squad for leaving them with a difficult challenge
• Gueye's words were positively accepted by the players

Potential Ramifications

Gueye could still be punished by the club despite Moyes' admission that he likes his team members fighting with each other. The Scot has a standard disciplinary procedure for red and yellow cards, including fines, which is expected to be implemented in this situation.

Ban and International Commitments

The Merseyside club may find themselves without their key midfielder until the January. Gueye will serve a three-game suspension against Newcastle United, Bournemouth and Forest but could be selected for AFCON responsibilities by his national team before he can return to play against Chelsea on mid-December.

'Emotions can run high,' Gueye continued. 'But nothing justifies such behaviour.'

Rival Reaction

At the same time, the Manchester United defender claimed United of showing no immediacy in Monday's defeat, which halted their winning streak at multiple matches.

• 'English football doesn't tolerate weakness,' said the Netherlands international
• 'We were missing the necessary intensity to find the net'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' who drop back it becomes challenging

The Red Devils head to Selhurst Park for the weekend noon kickoff. 'The next game is really important now,' said the defender. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'