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

Unprecedented Incident in Premier League

The midfielder became the initial Premier League player to be sent off for hitting a teammate in nearly two decades when he struck Michael Keane during the match. The Toffees' display was remarkable as they played with 10 men for 85 minutes, including added time, to secure David Moyes' initial victory at Old Trafford as a away coach in multiple tries.

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

Team Response

Gueye did not get an opportunity to converse with the manager or his colleagues at half-time. Following the match, with the visitors' locker room celebrating after the narrow victory, the 36-year-old asked to speak to the whole team and the defender in particular.

• He expressed regret to the defender for slapping him across the face
• The intense early confrontation occurred after a poor distribution in his own penalty area
• Additionally he said sorry to the squad for leaving them with a monumental task
• Gueye's words were warmly received by the players

Possible Ramifications

Gueye could still be punished by the club despite the manager's statement that he appreciates his team members fighting with each other. Moyes has a regular punishment process for dismissals and cautions, including fines, which is likely to be applied in Gueye's case.

Suspension and International Commitments

The Merseyside club may find themselves without their key midfielder until the January. The Senegalese international will serve a three-game suspension against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Forest but could be called up for Africa Cup of Nations duty by his national team before he can return to play against Chelsea on 13 December.

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

Opposition Reaction

Meanwhile, the Manchester United defender accused his team of lacking immediacy in Monday's defeat, which ended 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,' who drop back it becomes challenging

United head to Selhurst Park for the weekend lunchtime start. 'The next game is really important now,' commented De Ligt. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'