Toffees Squad Members Applaud Idrissa Gueye After Sincere Apology for Keane Slap
Idrissa Gueye was given a warm ovation from his Everton teammates after issuing an explanation for his shocking dismissal during Monday's victory at Manchester United.
Unprecedented Incident in Premier League
The midfielder became the first Premier League player to be sent off for hitting a teammate in nearly two decades 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 achieve 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 social media. 'I take full responsibility for my reaction.'
Team Response
The Senegalese international did not get an chance to converse with Moyes or his colleagues at half-time. Afterwards, with the visitors' locker room celebrating after the 1-0 win, the veteran asked to speak to the whole team and the defender specifically.
- He expressed regret to the defender for striking him across the face
- The intense early confrontation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own penalty area
- Additionally he apologized to the squad for putting them with a difficult challenge
- His apology were warmly received by the squad
Potential Ramifications
The 36-year-old could still be disciplined by the club despite the manager's statement that he likes his team members fighting with each other. Moyes has a standard disciplinary procedure for red and yellow cards, including financial penalties, which is likely to be applied in this situation.
Suspension and National Team Duty
The Merseyside club could be without their key midfielder until the new year. The Senegalese international will serve a three-match ban against Newcastle, AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but could be selected for AFCON duty by his national team before he becomes eligible to play against Chelsea on 13 December.
'Passions can sometimes overflow,' Gueye continued. 'But nothing justifies such behaviour.'
Rival Perspective
At the same time, the Manchester United defender accused his team of showing no immediacy in Monday's loss, which ended their winning streak at five games.
- 'The Premier League is not for the weak,' stated the Dutch defender
- 'We lacked that urgency to score goals,'
- 'When facing sides like Everton,' who drop back it becomes challenging
The Red Devils head to Crystal Palace for Sunday's lunchtime start. 'Our upcoming match is absolutely crucial,' commented De Ligt. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'