Idrissa Gueye earned a round of applause from his Everton teammates after apologising for slapping Michael Keane, an act which earned him a red card in their stunning 1-0 victory against Manchester United.
Everton’s dressing room was a scene of unexpected unity despite a moment of mid-match madness that saw Idrissa Gueye sent off for slapping teammate Michael Keane in the 13th minute of their match against Manchester United.
Gueye became the first Premier League player in 17 years to be dismissed for striking a teammate. However, following the team’s heroic 1-0 victory secured by a Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall strike, the Senegalese midfielder addressed the squad to apologize for his actions.
Gueye also issued a public apology, stating: “I want to apologise first to my team-mate Michael Keane. I take full responsibility for my reaction.
I also apologise to my team-mates, the staff, the fans and the club. What happened does not reflect who I am or the values I stand for.”
Matchwinner Dewsbury-Hall confirmed the dressing room atmosphere, revealing that the team’s reaction was “unbelievable. Top tier.” He added:
“Idrissa has apologised to us at full-time, said his piece and that’s all he can do. We move on from it.” The apology was reportedly “warmly received,” resulting in the team giving Gueye a “round of applause.”