Keane Lifts The Lid On Vieira Confrontation
United captain Roy Keane has accused Arsenal´s Patrick Vieira of confronting Gary Neville in the tunnel ahead of Tuesday night´s match at Highbury.
The two skippers were seen clearly riled on live television, and after the game Keane lifted the lid on the ill-tempered episode.
Keane said: " Patrick Vieira´s 6´4", and he starts having a go at Gary Neville. I said: ´come and have a go at me´ - as simple as that. If they want to intimidate some of my team-mates, let´s have a go at some of their players. They think Gary Neville is an easy target, but I´m not having it."
In response, Vieira attempted to diffuse the situation, saying: " I think Gary Neville is a big boy, he can handle it by himself. I don´t want to talk about it, it just has to stay on the pitch and tonight United were better than us on the pitch. Congratulations to them and that´s it."
Neville himself revealed that United´s players saw the incident as a sign that the Gunners captain was not entirely focused on the match itself.
He said: " It makes you think that possibly they´re not focused on the match. Quite clearly that´s what it makes you think. We´ve been around this game - some of ours players for 10, 12 years - and seeing things happen in the warm-up and before the match sometimes gives you a spur in that you think they´re not focused."