Toffees Squad Members Give Applause to Gueye After Sincere Apology for Keane Incident
Idrissa Gueye received a round of applause from his fellow squad members after delivering an apology for his shocking red card during the recent victory at Old Trafford.
Unprecedented Incident in English Football
Gueye earned the distinction of being the first Premier League player to be dismissed for striking a fellow player in 17 years when he struck Michael Keane during the match. The Toffees' display was remarkable as they played with 10 men for the majority of the game, including stoppage time, to achieve David Moyes' first win at Old Trafford as a visiting manager in multiple tries.
'My first apology goes to Michael Keane,' he wrote on social media. 'I take full responsibility for my reaction.'
Team Response
Gueye did not get an chance to speak with the manager or his colleagues at the interval. Following the match, with the visitors' locker room celebrating after the narrow victory, the 36-year-old asked to address the whole team and the defender specifically.
- Gueye apologized to the defender for slapping him across the face
- The heated early confrontation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own penalty area
- He also said sorry to the squad for leaving them with a monumental task
- Gueye's words were warmly received by the players
Possible Consequences
The 36-year-old may yet be disciplined by the club despite the manager's statement that he likes his players competing with each other. Moyes has a regular disciplinary procedure for red and yellow cards, including financial penalties, which is likely to be implemented in this situation.
Ban and National Team Commitments
The Merseyside club may find themselves without their influential midfielder until the January. The Senegalese international will complete a three-match suspension against Newcastle United, AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but might be selected for Africa Cup of Nations duty by Senegal before he can return to play against the Blues on 13 December.
'Emotions can run high,' he added. 'However, there's no excuse for such conduct.'
Opposition Reaction
Meanwhile, the Manchester United defender claimed United of lacking urgency in Monday's defeat, which ended their winning streak at five games.
- 'The Premier League is not for the weak,' stated the Netherlands international
- 'We lacked that urgency to score goals,'
- 'When facing sides like Everton,' who drop back it's difficult
United travel to Crystal Palace for Sunday's lunchtime start. 'The next game is really important now,' said De Ligt. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'