Idrissa Gueye received a round of applause from the Everton squad after apologising for his extraordinary red card during Monday’s 1–0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.
The Everton midfielder became the first Premier League player in 17 years to be sent off for striking a teammate after slapping Michael Keane during a heated exchange in the 13th minute. The incident followed a misplaced pass by Gueye that almost led to a goal for Bruno Fernandes.
Despite playing with 10 men for more than 85 minutes, Everton produced a heroic performance to give David Moyes his first win at Old Trafford as an away manager and only the club’s second victory there in 33 years.
After the match, with the dressing room in high spirits, Gueye asked to address the squad and personally apologised to Keane. He also said sorry to his teammates for leaving them with such a difficult task and thanked them for winning the game. His speech was warmly received, with players giving him a round of applause.
Although Moyes joked that he “likes my players fighting each other”, Everton may still дисципline Gueye under the club’s standard procedures for red cards, which typically include fines.
The 36-year-old now faces a three-match suspension against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest. He could also miss additional matches if called up by Senegal for the Africa Cup of Nations, with their first game scheduled for 23 December.
Gueye also issued a public apology on social media, writing: “I want to apologise first to Michael Keane. I take full responsibility for my reaction. I also apologise to my teammates, the staff, the fans and the club. What happened does not reflect who I am or the values I stand for. Emotions can run high, but nothing justifies such behaviour. I’ll make sure it never happens again.”
