Toffees Teammates Applaud Gueye Following Sincere Apology for Keane Incident
Idrissa Gueye was given a warm ovation from his fellow squad members after delivering an apology for his extraordinary red card during the recent victory at Old Trafford.
Rare Incident in Premier League
The midfielder became the first Premier League player to be dismissed for hitting a teammate in 17 years when he struck Michael Keane during the match. Everton's performance was remarkable as they played with 10 men for the majority of the game, including stoppage time, to secure David Moyes' first win at Old Trafford as a visiting manager in multiple tries.
'My first apology goes to Michael Keane,' he wrote on his accounts. 'I take full responsibility for my reaction.'
Dressing Room Reaction
The Senegalese international was unable to secure an chance to converse with Moyes or his teammates at half-time. Afterwards, with the visitors' locker room buzzing after the narrow victory, the 36-year-old requested to address the entire group and Keane specifically.
- Gueye apologized to the defender for striking him across the face
- The intense early altercation occurred after a poor distribution in his own penalty area
- Additionally he said sorry to the squad for leaving them with a monumental task
- Gueye's words were positively accepted by the players
Possible Consequences
The 36-year-old may yet be disciplined by the club despite the manager's statement that he appreciates his team members competing with each other. Moyes has a standard punishment process for red and yellow cards, including financial penalties, which is expected to be applied in Gueye's case.
Suspension and International Commitments
Everton may find themselves without their key midfielder until the January. Gueye will serve a three-match suspension against Newcastle United, AFC Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but could be selected for Africa Cup of Nations responsibilities by Senegal before he can return to play against the Blues on 13 December.
'Passions can sometimes overflow,' he added. 'But nothing justifies such behaviour.'
Opposition Reaction
Meanwhile, Mathijs de Ligt claimed 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,' 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 travel to Selhurst Park for Sunday's noon kickoff. 'Our upcoming match is absolutely crucial,' said the defender. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'
