Roy Keane and Ian Wright were involved in a heated debate over Arsenal’s performance in their recent defeat by Liverpool.
The Gunners were beaten 1-0 by the Reds prior to the international break after Dominik Szoboszlai’s stunning late free kick.
However, apart from the decisive goal, the game was largely uneventful as both sides cancelled each other out – and some pundits were critical of Arsenal’s conservative tactics.
And, speaking on the latest Stick To Football podcast, Gunners icon Wright was asked for his thoughts on his former side’s display.
‘Well to be honest,’ he began. ‘You know what we hung in there I thought that.’
Gary Neville, who posed the question, couldn’t believe the response and put his hands on his head before he added: ‘No, no, no, hung in there?’
Roy Keane and Ian Wright clashed when discussing Arsenal’s display in their loss to Liverpool
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The Gunners were beaten 1-0 and pundits were critical of Mikel Arteta’s tactics on the day
Wright replied: ‘We’re away to Liverpool, they’re scoring in every game and we stayed in the game for a bit.’
Keane then interjected and reminded Wright that Bournemouth scored two goals at Anfield, Newcastle netted twice against Liverpool with 10 men and that Crystal Palace also put two past Arne Slot’s side in the Community Shield.
‘That’s Bournemouth so what?,’ Wright retorted. ‘We went there and played in a different way.
‘It didn’t work out, we maybe made our substitutes 10 minutes too late and he (Szoboszlai) scored a great goal.’
This response infuriated Keane who said: ‘Just be critical of Arsenal for once in your life.
‘Are you still getting paid off by them. Are you still on the wage bill, are you still getting wages off them?’
‘No. I’m not going to be critical of them,’ Wright replied. ‘If Szoboszlai doesn’t score a great goal it’s 0-0, it’s a point, and I would take that.’
Keane then aimed one final criticism at Wright before his fellow pundit fired a dig back.
Keane accused Wright of never criticising his former side as things began to get heated
Wright fought his corner and insisted that he was happy with the Gunners’ display in the defeat
‘Are you taking wages off Arsenal?,’ he repeated. ‘We criticise United every week.’
Wright responded: ‘Yeah, because you can criticise them every week, they’re f***ing s***. Jesus.’
Wright and Keane appear to be good mates off-screen, but they have regularly clashed when appearing as pundits together.
Back in February the pair had a furious disagreement about Bruno Fernandes’ captaincy, a topic that has regularly attracted the ire of Keane in recent years.
Fernandes had helped to lead United to a 2-2 draw at Everton after the Red Devils were 2-0 down, but the hard-hitting Keane was less than impressed with the Portuguese star.
‘I see fans at matches and they’re singing for Bruno,’ he said. ‘I see these boys, I think you’re f***ing imposters!’
Wright disagreed about Bruno before Keane added: ‘Ah Wrighty, I’ve had enough of that rubbish! You watch United every week, we focus more on United. Sit and watch a game with him! People pretend to be closing people down.’
Wright then argued that Fernandes has regularly led by example by bringing his team back into games when they need a moment of inspiration, which Keane again rebutted and was not for moving.
In an X-rated dig, Wright said Man United are always criticised because they are ‘f***ing s***’
‘Talent is not enough! You keep going back to talent – Bruno’s a talented player, but it’s not enough!
‘Who were you in the dressing room with, Tony Adams? Tony Adams was this, Tony Adams was that, because he was a fighter!
‘You’ve got young players who have to look at somebody and go “I like what he does”.
‘They all can’t put the ball in the top of the net from 25 yards, I get that, but you want someone who’s going “Lads, are you with me? Are you with me?”‘
In October 2024, the pair had another famous disagreement when discussing a player’s bizarre transfer demand during Keane’s time managing Sunderland, with their feud ending with the Irishman calling Wright ‘childish’.
