Manchester United supporters will be clamouring to get a sight of Roy Keane back in their iconic shirt this afternoon.
The former United and Celtic midfielder will turn out in the second leg of the Legends of the North clash with Liverpool. Having previously declined to be a part of the Legends matches, United confirmed their heroic former skipper will appear as the Premier League heavyweights go head-to-head on Merseyside for charity.
United have it all to do having lost the first leg 3-1 back in May and have called in the cavalry in an attempt to overturn the deficit. While the main aim of the day is to raise valuable funds for the club’s Foundation, that doesn’t mean getting a result won’t be on the players’ minds. And for anyone that had the privilege of watching Keane throughout his illustrious playing career - or in his media career since - will know he will be going all out to win.
It’s the first time the former Republic of Ireland international has turned out in the charity matches and will line up alongside the likes of Darren Fletcher, Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov. Ironically, Keane will also don the United shirt in the stadium of his final appearance for the club. Few expected that when he trudged off with an injury against Liverpool in September 2005, that it would be his Old Trafford curtain call - after winning seven Premier League titles in 12 years at the club.
But so it proved to be, with Keane's infamous MUTV interview - where he brutally tore into his teammates - serving as the final straw just months later. However while Keane's rant sealed his fate as a player at Old Trafford, it wasn't his reasoning behind initially declining the opportunity to turn out in the Legends match.
In a recent interview, he said: "I'm not fit. I'm far from fit. My fitness levels are actually very, very embarrassing. Just because I've not put on loads of weight doesn't mean to say I'm fit. I wouldn't really be able to do any running. Put it this way, I've been invited a number of times over the last few years to play legends games or whatever you want to call it.
"I'd find it really difficult because I wouldn't be able to get around. Too many injury problems. I try to have a decent diet obviously and I'm wary of putting on too much weight, but I certainly wouldn't be fit enough to go on any sort of run."
READ NEXT
