Two of the Premier League 's greatest rivals were reunited on Sunday when Patrick Vieira and Roy Keane fronted Sky Sports' coverage of the latest fixtures in the title race.
And Vieira couldn't resist having a light-hearted dig at his old nemesis after a clip of the duo playfully sparring on the Emirates pitch had gone viral on social media.
Vieira and Keane were the figureheads of Arsenal and Manchester United in an era where the duo were in a two-way tussle for domestic dominance. Clashes between the two were often feisty and unsurprisingly, Vieira and Keane were always in the thick of the drama.
The fiery duo have gone in different directions since hanging up their boots with Vieira moving into coaching and Keane working as a full-time pundit for Sky, but both were reunited on Sunday ahead of huge fixtures for Arsenal and Manchester City.
And after Sky shared a playful montage of the duo shadow-boxing in the build-up to the show, Vieira continued the tongue-in-cheek antics by reminding his old rival of the time Arsenal lifted the Premier League title in Manchester United's own backyard.
Talking about the pressures of the title race, Vieira quipped: “Of course, it can get really sweet [too], especially when you go to Old Trafford and win it over there. That made it even more special.”
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After Vieira flashed a mischievous grin, Keane was left shaking his head before opening up on the rivalry that defined the Premier League era.
“That’s what you want with the big clubs [a rivalry]. When I was playing Patrick [Vieira] we had a rivalry, obviously because you’re trying to win championships. We played the same position so there was always going to be clashes. Big personalities at the big clubs, you’re trying to win the big prizes. You’re showing clips there of what it was like back in our time and it was brilliant.
“You really, really miss it because it was aggressive, it was nasty, there were some top-quality play, there was obviously pace to the game and you knew that every time you played Arsenal, from United’s point of view, that result was going to be so vital if you wanted to get your hands on the title. They were great days.”
In recent times, neither Arsenal or Manchester United have come close to overhauling Manchester City at the summit of the Premier League. However, the Gunners are still in with a chance of ending their 19-year title drought this term - even if they are now relying on favours from others after blowing an eight-point lead.
Speaking ahead of Sunday's match against Brighton, Vieira said of Arsenal: “They have to be really optimistic. You’re looking at the couple of games and you have to believe - or make players believe - that City will drop points.
“ When you look at City in the Champions League, their mind is still in the Real Madrid game and the final, they will want to win that Champions League. Of course, the Champions League takes a lot of energy so the message to the players will be ‘they will drop points. At one moment in their remaining games, they will drop points. So, not to feel sorry about ourselves or have any kind of regrets, we have to win our games. We have to win our remaining games.’
“ I believe that Arsenal have that in their minds and that’s why it’s about them winning and just crossing fingers for City to drop more points. ”
