IDRISSA GUEYE has issued a grovelling apology after being sent off for slapping Michael Keane in Everton’s win over Manchester United.

The midfielder stunningly lashed out at his Toffees team-mate early on in the Premier League fixture at Old Trafford.

Gueye, 36, was shown a straight red card by referee Tony Harrington for violent conduct.

This left the travelling side down to ten men for most of the game.

The former Paris Saint-Germain ace has now taken to social media to apologise to Everton fans.

He took “full responsibility” for his actions and said sorry for everyone involved with Everton in a 60-word statement.

“Emotions can run high, but nothing justifies such behaviour.

“I’ll make sure it never happens again. UTT.”

Fortunately for Everton, Gueye’s reckless reaction did not cost them three points against Manchester United.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored a brilliant goal in the first half to put the ten men ahead.

David Moyes‘ side were able to hold on in the second period to snatch a big win from the Red Devils.

The three points have lifted the Toffees to 11th in the Premier League table and above arch-rivals Liverpool on goal difference.

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Gueye issued his apology on InstagramCredit: Instagram
 

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Ricardo Fuller was the last player to be sent off for lashing out against a team-mateCredit: AFP
Co-commentating for Sky Sports, Gary Neville disagreed with the red card that was shown to Gueye.

The former Man Utd full-back, 50, called the contact “negligible” – adding that he felt a yellow would have sufficed.

Pundit Jamie Carragher then suggested that the referee could have “managed” the situation without needing to send Gueye off.

Gueye is set to receive a three-match ban – ruling him out of matches against Newcastle, Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest.

He is also set to be unavailable for the Toffees in January as he heads to Afcon with Senegal.

Gueye is not the first Premier League star to be sent off for scrapping with a team-mate.

Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer infamously both saw red for fighting during Newcastle‘s clash with Aston Villa in 2005.

The most recent example of a player being sent off for fighting a team-mate was when Ricardo Fuller saw red for slapping fellow Stoke ace Andy Griffin in December 2008.

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David Moyes spoke about Gueye’s sending off after the gameCredit: AP
Fuller had been upset at the full-back after the Potters conceded a goal to West Ham.

Moyes spoke after the game and defended Gueye as he admitted he likes his players “fighting each other”.

He said: “I’m surprised. I think if nothing happened, I don’t think anybody in the stadium would’ve been surprised.

“I thought the ref could’ve maybe taken more time to think about it. I’m getting told the rules of the game means that if you slap even your own player or you lift an arm you’re in trouble.

“But you know there’s another side of it — I quite like my players fighting each other and getting annoyed with each other if they’ve played a bad ball or made a bad action.

“If you want a winning team with the resilience and toughness that got us the result, you’re gonna have to play that way.