Idrissa Gueye was applauded by his Everton teammates after apologising for his red card incident during their 1-0 win over Manchester United, where he became the first Premier League player in 17 years to be sent off for striking a teammate.
The midfielder slapped Michael Keane during a heated exchange in the 13th minute after Gueye’s misplaced pass nearly led to a goal for Bruno Fernandes. Reduced to 10 men for most of the match, Everton produced a heroic display to secure a rare win at Old Trafford.
Unable to address the team at half-time, Gueye spoke to the squad after the match, apologising directly to Keane and the group for leaving them in a difficult situation. His apology was warmly received, with teammates giving him a round of applause.
Despite manager David Moyes’ light-hearted comments about liking his players’ passion, Gueye is still expected to face internal disciplinary action in line with the club’s standard procedures.
The 36-year-old will miss Everton’s next three matches through suspension and may also be unavailable due to a possible call-up for Senegal ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Gueye also posted a public apology on social media, taking full responsibility and promising the incident would not happen again.
