Everton Squad Members Applaud Gueye Following Sincere Apology for Keane Incident
The Everton midfielder received a round of applause from his Everton teammates after issuing an apology for his extraordinary dismissal during the recent victory at Manchester United.
Unprecedented Incident in Premier League
Gueye became the first Premier League player to be dismissed for striking a teammate in nearly two decades when he slapped his defensive colleague during the fixture. Everton's display was heroic as they played with 10 men for 85 minutes, including stoppage time, to secure David Moyes' initial victory at Old Trafford as a visiting manager in multiple tries.
'I want to apologise first to Michael Keane,' he wrote on his accounts. 'I accept complete responsibility for my actions.'
Team Reaction
The Senegalese international did not get an chance to converse with the manager or his colleagues at half-time. Afterwards, with the visitors' locker room buzzing after the narrow victory, the veteran requested to speak to the entire group and the defender in particular.
- He expressed regret to the defender for slapping him across the face
- The heated 13th-minute altercation occurred after a poor distribution in his own defensive third
- He also apologized to the squad for leaving them with a difficult challenge
- Gueye's words were positively accepted by the players
Potential Consequences
Gueye could still be punished by the club despite Moyes' statement that he likes his team members fighting with each other. Moyes has a standard punishment process for red and yellow cards, including fines, which is likely to be applied in this situation.
Ban and International Commitments
Everton may find themselves without their influential player until the January. The Senegalese international will complete a three-game ban against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Forest but might be called up for AFCON responsibilities by his national team before he can return to play against the Blues on 13 December.
'Emotions can run high,' Gueye continued. 'But nothing justifies such behaviour.'
Opposition Reaction
Meanwhile, the Manchester United defender claimed United of lacking immediacy in Monday's loss, which ended their unbeaten run at multiple matches.
- 'English football doesn't tolerate weakness,' said 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 travel to Crystal Palace for Sunday's noon kickoff. 'Our upcoming match is absolutely crucial,' commented the defender. 'We must recover strongly from this display.'