Manchester United legend Roy Keane boldly claimed that one of his biggest rivals would only have been a “squad player” if he had arrived at Old Trafford.
Keane, who brutally shut down Liverpool star Virgil van Dijk recently, was a commanding figure at United and forged a lasting legacy during his time at the club.
The Sky Sports pundit excelled as United captain and his leadership skills saw him achieve incredible success at Old Trafford, including leading his side to the treble.
Keane was also known for his no-nonsense approach on the pitch and his tough-as-nails reputation at United made him quite the handful for both players and referees.
The 52-year-old Irishman’s incredible United trophy haul included seven Premier League titles, a Champions League and four FA Cups during his 12 years at the club.
However, Keane’s time at Old Trafford ended on a sour note after a falling out with Sir Alex Ferguson and the former United manager axing him from the club in 2005.
The former United captain briefly played for Celtic before his retirement, but Keane later admitted that he “embarrassed” himself over one mistake in his playing career.
During his time at United, Keane crossed paths with several tough players and the Irish hardman had no love lost for one fellow Premier League legend on the pitch.
Keane’s rivalry with Arsenal hero Patrick Vieira
Keane shared a fierce rivalry with Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira during the height of Ferguson’s intense battles with legendary former Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.
The footballer-turned-pundit, who recently opened up about one thing that he “deserved” post-United, would often clash with Vieira both verbally and physically.
There was no love lost between Keane and Vieira when they were players and the pair famously had a heated exchange in the Highbury tunnel ahead of a 2005 match.
“I was never one for argy-bargy or slagging people off in the tunnel, but Patrick had threatened Gary [Neville] in the tunnel, and I felt he crossed the line,” Keane told Sky Sports in 2019.
“The key for me after that is don’t be distracted by it. Focus on the match. The most important thing that night was to win the game, which we did.
“I always think these things look worse than what they really are. It summed up the rivalry.”
Keane’s ruthless claim about Vieira
Keane and Vieira’s rivalry settled following their respective spells at United and Arsenal, with the pair even being in the same studio for punditry duties at times.
The United legend admitted that Vieira could be “nasty” on the pitch and was one of his toughest opponents of all time, only bettered by one player in Keane’s eyes.
Vieira, who was a pivotal figure for Wenger, was believed to have been a target for United and was linked with a move to Old Trafford during his time with Arsenal.
According to The Guardian in 2003, Ferguson had ‘instructed’ United’s board to see if they could sign Vieira after David Beckham’s departure to Real Madrid in 2003.
However, Keane savagely claimed that the 47-year-old ex-Arsenal star would not have started in the United XI and Vieira would instead “have been a squad player.”
“There was talk about Patrick [going to United], but I don’t think he would have got into the United team,” he said.
“He would’ve had to have been a squad player and I don’t think he would’ve been satisfied with that.
“What we would’ve done, when [Juan Sebastian] Veron came to the club, you see that as a challenge.
“The club has to improve, get better and you have to roll with it, roll your sleeves up and enjoy the challenge.
“If you want to be a big player at a big club, you have to accept these challenges.”
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