Idrissa Gueye received a round of applause from the Everton squad after apologising for his extraordinary red card in Monday’s victory at Manchester United. The midfielder became the first Premier League player to be dismissed for striking a teammate in 17 years when slapping Michael Keane at Old Trafford.
Everton performed heroically with 10 men for 85 minutes to hand David Moyes his first win at Old Trafford as a visiting manager in 18 attempts and deliver only the club’s second victory at United in 33 years. Gueye did not get an opportunity to speak to Moyes or his teammates at half-time.
Afterwards, with the away dressing room on a high following the 1-0 win, the Senegal international asked to address the entire group as well as Keane specifically. Gueye apologised to the defender for slapping him across the face following a heated 13th-minute altercation after the midfielder’s misplaced pass inside his own penalty area.
He also apologised to the squad for leaving them with a monumental task at Old Trafford and thanked them for pulling it off. Gueye’s words were warmly received by the squad, who gave him a round of applause. The 36-year-old could still be disciplined by Everton despite Moyes’ admission that he “likes my players fighting each other”.
Everton could be without their influential midfielder until the new year. Gueye will serve a three-match suspension against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest but could be called up for Africa Cup of Nations duty by Senegal before he becomes eligible to play against Chelsea on 13 December.
