Football Manager settles the Patrick Vieira v Roy Keane debate

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By Rob Swan

Published Apr 10, 2017

A team of Patrick Vieiras versus a team of Roy Keanes - let the battle begin

In a recent interview, Patrick Vieira said - only half-joking - that he was a better player than his old nemesis Roy Keane.

“The thing is that was Roy Keane [holds his hand out] and there was myself [holds his other hand out higher],” the Frenchman, currently in charge of New York City FC, told Copa 90.

“He was always seeing the back of my shirt,” the former Arsenal midfielder added. “He always had the number four shirt on his mind.”

Vieira knows he can get away with making this type of comment these days without infuriating Keane.

The two men were sworn enemies during their playing careers, but their mutual respect for each other grew once they retired, helped by the fact they worked together as pundits for ITV Sport.

Keane: Vieira was one of my toughest opponents

“I don't think we'll ever be bosom buddies buying each other a drink in the pub but out of everybody I ever faced as a player, he drove me to become better,” Keane was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail last year.

“Obviously Arsenal were the team that really challenged Manchester United and, for a short time, went past us. And as their leader Patrick was immense.

“Without doubt I'd put him alongside (Zinedine) Zidane, (Paul) Scholes, (Steven) Gerrard and (Frank) Lampard as one of the very best I've ever played with or against, he was that good. On his day, when he was driving Arsenal on with the sheer force of his personality, he was unplayable.”

High praise indeed from Keane, who doesn’t exactly dish out compliments on a regular basis.

However, if asked who the better midfielder was, the Irishman surely wouldn’t hesitate to name himself.