Former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane shared an honest opinion on facing ex-Everton striker Duncan Ferguson when asked about his most annoying opponent
Duncan Ferguson of Everton beats Roy Keane of Manchester United to score during a match at Goodison Park on October 31, 1998
Duncan Ferguson of Everton beats Roy Keane of Manchester United to score during a match at Goodison Park on October 31, 1998(Image: Clive Brunskill /Allsport)
They were two of the fiercest competitors in the Premier League’s early years, but Manchester United legend Roy Keane has given his honest opinion on facing Everton fan favourite Duncan Ferguson.
A couple of football’s true hardmen, the pair often got in hot water with referees for their physical approach to the game with Ferguson sent off nine times in his career and Keane seeing red on a reported 13 occasions, although he insists he was ‘only’ given his marching orders a dozen times.
Ferguson holds the record for being dismissed the most times while playing for Everton having been shown a red card eight times, which is twice as many as ‘closest challenger’ and fellow Scot, David Weir.
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When speaking on Sky Sports, as cited by Everton News, Keane was asked about the most annoying players to come up against with Micah Richards prompting an answer on Ferguson. The 54-year-old from Cork said: “There’s a few. I didn’t like the sneaky ones.
“Obviously, I played in midfield, so I didn’t mind people hitting me or me hitting them. It was when some people leaving kind of elbows (in).
“No, Dunc was okay. He is [a big striker] but I didn’t think Duncan was sneaky like some of the others. It’s the sneakiness that I didn’t like.
“I don’t mind lads hitting you. It’s when lads were sneaky, they were the ones I kind of went after.”