Arsenal and Premier League legend Ian Wright has named one star who he 'didn't like at all' in his time at Highbury, even in Arsenal's most successful period in the top-flight - with Manchester United icon Roy Keane failing to work his way into the England star's good books.
Keane spent 16 years in the top-flight of English football, 14 of those in the Premier League, winning seven titles as well as various individual accolades. Some of those included being named in five PFA Team of the Year awards, the PFA Team of the Century award, and the PFA Players' Player of the Year in 2000, being inducted into the Hall of Fame as a result. But his nasty demeanour on the pitch bore a rival in Wright, who stated that he 'didn't like him at all' when the duo faced off.
Wright Named Roy Keane as Star Who 'He Didn't Like' During His Career
The Irishman had various enemies in his time at Old Trafford
pundit roy keane
Speaking back in 2021, the Arsenal legend stated that although he now considers Keane as his friend due to the punditry work that they do together, that wasn't the case in his playing career - boldly claiming that he 'didn't like Keane at all'. Wright said, via the Daily Mail:
"People have to understand that Roy Keane is just an honest man. What I like about Roy Keane is that I see him as my friend. We go and we talk about some serious things.
"I see him as my friend now, but like I say, when we played I didn’t like him. I didn’t like him at all.
"I remember when I won my Premier League medal, when the camera came in I remember saying "Roy Keane winners' medal", because Roy Keane one time said to me: 'Wrighty, you’ve got a cabinet full of losers medals'.
"You know the thing about it is, it’s the kind of comment I would have said to him if the shoe was on the other foot. But when he said it, it hurts you but I was laughing deep down because it’s a killer, it finishes you, bam.
"Even when I reminded him, he said: 'Nah, I didn’t say that.' I said 'Roy, it’s not something you forget!'"
The main on-pitch rivalry between United and Arsenal, or at least the most synonymous, was Keane's long-standing feud with Gunners midfielder Patrick Vieira.
Roy Keane's career statistics - record by competition
Competition
Premier League/First Division
FA Cup
League Cup
Champions League
UEFA Cup
Showdowns in the tunnel, heavy tackles on the pitch and famous bust-ups between the midfield generals of both teams brought about the famous rivalry between the best teams of Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger, exponentially increasing the hatred through their success-laden years at the turn of the century.
Keane, a notable hardman in Premier League history, was named second in our list of hardest footballers in the competition's 33-year era, only ranking behind Scotland and Everton star Duncan Ferguson - and his playing style will have attracted numerous rivals on the pitch, especially given the fact that he was successful for the Red Devils.
Hopefully, which seems to be the case, both Wright and Keane have repaired their broken relations, having worked together on international coverage of football's biggest tournaments, as well as being regulars on Sky's The Overlap and Stick to Football podcasts - but there is no hiding from the fact that Keane's demeanour on the pitch once made an enemy for him in his current co-star.
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 02-07-25.
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