Toffees Teammates Applaud Gueye After Sincere Apology for Keane Slap
The Everton midfielder was given a warm ovation from his fellow squad members after issuing an apology for his shocking dismissal during the recent triumph at Manchester United.
Rare Incident in Premier League
Gueye became the first Premier League player to be dismissed for hitting a fellow player in nearly two decades when he struck his defensive colleague during the fixture. Everton's 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 visiting manager in multiple tries.
'I want to apologise first to Michael Keane,' Gueye stated on his accounts. 'I accept complete responsibility for my actions.'
Team Reaction
The Senegalese international did not get an chance to converse with Moyes or his teammates at the interval. Following the match, with the visitors' locker room celebrating after the narrow victory, the 36-year-old asked to speak to the whole team and the defender specifically.
- Gueye apologized to the defender for slapping him across the face
- The heated early altercation occurred after a poor distribution in his own penalty area
- He also apologized to the squad for leaving them with a monumental task
- Gueye's words were warmly received by the squad
Possible Ramifications
The 36-year-old could still be disciplined by Everton despite Moyes' admission that he likes his team members fighting with each other. The Scot has a regular disciplinary procedure for red and yellow cards, including financial penalties, which is likely to be implemented in this situation.
Suspension and National Team Commitments
Everton could be without their influential player until the new year. The Senegalese international will complete a three-match ban against Newcastle United, AFC Bournemouth and Forest but might 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. 'However, there's no excuse for such conduct.'
Opposition Perspective
At the same time, Mathijs de Ligt claimed his team of lacking immediacy in Monday's loss, which halted their unbeaten run at multiple matches.
- 'The Premier League is not for the weak,' stated the Dutch defender
- 'We lacked that urgency to score goals,'
- 'Against a team like Everton,' that defend deep it's difficult
United head to Crystal Palace for Sunday's noon kickoff. 'The next game is really important now,' said De Ligt. 'We have to bounce back from this performance.'