Roy Keane clashed with both Gary Neville and Micah Richards over Arsenal’s performance against Manchester City during their 2-1 defeat in a potential Premier League title decider.
Keane and Co watched on for Sky Sports at the Etihad on Sunday as Rayan Cherki and Erling Haaland scored to ensure City moved to within three points of the Gunners in the title race, despite Gianluigi Donnarumma’s error that gifted Kai Havertz a first-half equaliser.
City are now, for some, favourites to win the Premier League, which would see them pinch glory from an Arsenal side that has been top of the tree for so much of the season in their bid to win a domestic title for the first time in 22 years.
The Gunners were decent in the loss, yet fell to defeat for the second Premier League game in a row. They have five games remaining, and City have six.
And performances are irrelevant at this stage, according to Keane. While Neville and Richards tried to fight Arsenal’s corner in terms of their performance being positive, Keane adjudged that very fact to be redundant.
Speaking on having to play under the pressure of a title race, Keane said: ‘That is part of it. Do you not think City would have had it today? They are at home and if they lose the league is over.
‘That is the challenge for Arsenal; playing under pressure. City have been the best team in this country by far for the last six years – imagine the pressure they have been under. You get the plaudits – it is no good getting plaudits when you get beaten.’
When asked if he could take the positives by Richards, the former Manchester United captain replied: ‘No. They are Arsenal Football Club, they are not a small club.’
Richards, though, tried hard to get his point across. He said: ‘We thought Arsenal would go in a low block. They have not been playing well, but have got over the line in some games. Today they showed they are a better team when they press.’
Keane bit back: ‘You are surprised Arsenal came and did well? Do you want the plaudits or the points? What do you want?’
Richards continued: ‘Of course you want the points, but we are talking about a team taking positives going into the next game. They played a lot better. Did you expect Arsenal to play this well?’
Keane continued to stand his ground, replying: ‘Yeah. Of course I did, they are top of the league. They are a good team, they are no mugs.’
Neville then opted to step in, but was soon cut off. He began: ‘Arteta will be saying I’m proud of you, play at that standard for the rest of the season…’
But Keane had heard enough.
‘Wow,’ he responded. ‘I’m proud of you?’ Then, pointing to a glass of water on the table, he snapped: ‘Gary, man, what’s in that drink there? I’m proud of you, really?’
Neville, after joking to Richards that Keane was ‘an immovable object at this point,’ finished his earlier sentence. He said: ‘I think he’ll say I’m proud of how you played and if you play at that standard for the rest of the season then we will win games.’
There was no changing Keane’s mind, however.
He finished, sarcastically, with: ‘I’m proud of that goal we give away, a defining moment? It’s in the goalkeeper’s hands and 10 seconds later it’s a goal? That isn’t something to be proud of.’
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta, however, spoke calmly after the game, and insisted his side can still win the title – though didn’t quite say he was ‘proud’ of them.
The Gunners manager said: ‘We take it game by game. We had very good moments a few days ago in the Champions League against Sporting. We are playing so many games.
‘We are the only team that’s playing, playing, playing and playing. But the positive thing is we have seen the level, we can cope with that, and not just that but do even better.
‘There are five games to go, but we’re going to give a real go for it. We have full belief we can do it.
‘Today we have shown the team that we are. It’s still in our hands, and it’s there for the taking.’
