Everton Squad Members Applaud Gueye After Sincere Apology for Keane Slap
Idrissa Gueye was given a round of applause from his Everton teammates after issuing an apology for his shocking red card during Monday's triumph at Old Trafford.
Unprecedented Situation in Premier League
The midfielder became the initial Premier League player to be sent off for hitting a teammate in 17 years when he slapped Michael Keane during the fixture. Everton's performance was heroic as they played with a man down for 85 minutes, including stoppage time, to secure David Moyes' first win at Old Trafford as a visiting manager in multiple tries.
'I want to apologise first to Michael Keane,' he wrote on social media. 'I accept complete responsibility for my actions.'
Team Reaction
Gueye did not get an chance to speak with the manager or his colleagues at the interval. Afterwards, with the away dressing room buzzing after the narrow victory, the veteran asked to address the entire group and Keane specifically.
- Gueye apologized to the defender for slapping him across the head
- The intense early confrontation occurred after a poor distribution in his own defensive third
- Additionally he apologized to the team for leaving them with a difficult challenge
- His apology were positively accepted by the squad
Possible Ramifications
Gueye may yet be disciplined by the club despite the manager's statement that he likes his players fighting with each other. Moyes has a standard punishment process for dismissals and cautions, including financial penalties, which is likely to be implemented in this situation.
Ban and International Commitments
Everton could be without their influential player until the January. Gueye will complete a three-match ban against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Forest but could be called up for AFCON responsibilities by Senegal before he becomes eligible to play against Chelsea on 13 December.
'Emotions can run high,' Gueye continued. 'However, there's no excuse for such conduct.'
Rival Reaction
Meanwhile, the Manchester United defender claimed United of showing no immediacy in Monday's defeat, which halted their winning streak at five games.
- 'English football doesn't tolerate weakness,' stated the Dutch defender
- 'We lacked that urgency to score goals,'
- 'Against a team like Everton,' who drop back it's difficult
The Red Devils head to Crystal Palace for the weekend lunchtime start. 'The next game is really important now,' commented De Ligt. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'