Toffees Squad Members Applaud Gueye After Apology for Keane Incident
The Everton midfielder received a round of applause from his Everton teammates after issuing an apology for his shocking red card during the recent victory at Manchester United.
Rare Situation in Premier League
Gueye earned the distinction of being the first Premier League player to be dismissed for striking a teammate in nearly two decades when he struck Michael Keane during the match. The Toffees' display was remarkable as they played with 10 men for 85 minutes, including added time, to achieve David Moyes' first win at Old Trafford as a away coach in multiple tries.
'I want to apologise first to Michael Keane,' he wrote on his accounts. 'I accept complete responsibility for my actions.'
Team Response
Gueye did not get an chance to converse with the manager or his colleagues at the interval. Afterwards, with the visitors' locker room buzzing after the narrow victory, the 36-year-old asked to speak to the entire group and Keane specifically.
- He expressed regret to the defender for striking him across the face
- The heated 13th-minute confrontation occurred after a misplaced pass in his own penalty area
- He also apologized to the team for leaving them with a difficult challenge
- Gueye's words were positively accepted by the players
Possible Ramifications
Gueye may yet be punished by Everton despite Moyes' statement that he appreciates his players fighting with each other. Moyes has a regular punishment process for red and yellow cards, including financial penalties, which is expected to be implemented in Gueye's case.
Ban and International Commitments
Everton may find themselves without their influential midfielder until the new year. Gueye will serve a three-match suspension against Newcastle United, Bournemouth and Forest but might be called up for AFCON duty by his national team 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
At the same time, Mathijs de Ligt accused United of lacking urgency in Monday's loss, which ended their unbeaten run at five games.
- 'English football doesn't tolerate weakness,' stated the Netherlands international
- 'We were missing the necessary intensity to find the net'
- 'Against a team like Everton,' who drop back it becomes challenging
United head to Crystal Palace for the weekend lunchtime start. 'The next game is really important now,' said De Ligt. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'
