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

Unprecedented Situation in Premier League

The midfielder earned the distinction of being the first Premier League player to be dismissed for hitting a fellow player in nearly two decades when he struck his defensive colleague during the fixture. Everton's performance was heroic as they played with a man down for 85 minutes, including added time, to secure David Moyes' initial victory at Old Trafford as a away coach in 18 attempts.

'My first apology goes to Michael Keane,' he wrote on social media. 'I accept complete responsibility for my actions.'

Dressing Room Reaction

Gueye was unable to secure an chance to speak with the manager or his teammates at half-time. Following the match, with the visitors' locker room celebrating after the narrow victory, the veteran requested to speak to the entire group and the defender specifically.

• Gueye apologized to the defender for striking him across the face
• The intense early confrontation occurred after a poor distribution in his own defensive third
• He also apologized to the team for leaving them with a difficult challenge
• Gueye's words were positively accepted by the players

Possible Ramifications

The 36-year-old could still be punished by the club despite Moyes' statement that he likes his team members competing with each other. Moyes has a regular disciplinary procedure for dismissals and cautions, including financial penalties, which is likely to be implemented in this situation.

Suspension and International Duty

Everton may find themselves without their influential midfielder until the new year. Gueye will complete a three-game ban against Newcastle United, AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but could be called up 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.'

Opposition Reaction

At the same time, Mathijs de Ligt accused 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 lacked that urgency to score goals,'
• 'Against a team like Everton,' who drop back it becomes challenging

United 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.'