Everton Teammates Applaud Idrissa Gueye After Sincere Apology for Keane Incident
Idrissa Gueye received a round of applause from his fellow squad members after issuing an apology for his extraordinary red card during Monday's triumph at Old Trafford.
Unprecedented Situation in Premier League
Gueye became the first Premier League player to be dismissed for striking a teammate in nearly two decades when he struck his defensive colleague during the match. Everton's display was remarkable as they played with a man down for the majority of the game, 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,' Gueye stated on his accounts. 'I take full responsibility for my reaction.'
Team Reaction
Gueye was unable to secure an opportunity to speak with Moyes or his colleagues at the interval. Following the match, with the visitors' locker room buzzing after the narrow victory, the veteran requested to speak to the entire group and Keane in particular.
- He expressed regret to Keane for striking him across the face
- The heated 13th-minute altercation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own defensive third
- He also said sorry to the team for putting them with a monumental task
- Gueye's words were positively accepted by the squad
Possible Consequences
Gueye may yet be punished by Everton despite Moyes' admission that he likes his team members competing with each other. The Scot has a standard punishment process for red and yellow cards, including fines, which is expected to be applied in Gueye's case.
Ban and International Duty
The Merseyside club could be without their key player until the January. The Senegalese international will complete a three-match ban against Newcastle, AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but could be called up for AFCON duty by his national team before he can return to play against the Blues on mid-December.
'Emotions can run high,' Gueye continued. 'But nothing justifies such behaviour.'
Rival Reaction
At the same time, Mathijs de Ligt accused his team of lacking immediacy in the recent defeat, which halted their winning streak at multiple matches.
- 'English football doesn't tolerate weakness,' said the Dutch defender
- 'We were missing the necessary intensity to find the net'
- 'Against a team like Everton,' who drop back it's difficult
The Red Devils travel to Crystal Palace for Sunday's lunchtime start. 'The next game is really important now,' commented the defender. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'