A clip of former Everton forward Tim Cahill arguing with Roy Keane about Arsenal's performances during the early days of Mikel Arteta's reign has resurfaced on social media. The pair locked horns following the Gunners' 1-0 win at Old Trafford in November 2020, with the former Toffee a guest pundit at the time.
Both teams came into the game struggling for form. United were faltering under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, while Arteta was also coming under increasing pressure in the dugout, having lost three of his opening seven league fixtures that season. Even victory in Manchester that day was only enough to lift them into eighth place.
Nevertheless, Cahill believed that he had seen enough from the north London club to think that Arteta was going to be a success at the Emirates. But that didn't go down well with fellow pundit Keane, who had just seen his former team drop more points and slide to 15th in the table.
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What Cahill Said About Arteta's Arsenal
Tim Cahill draws balls for the AFC Asian Cup.
AFC Asian Cup - Final Draw - Katara Opera House, Doha, Qatar - May 11, 2023 Tim Cahill during the draw REUTERS/Mohammed Dabbous
Speaking after Arsenal's victory against United, Cahill said: "When you watch Arsenal against Leicester and you see the high press, how aggressive they were - in this half here [vs United], Arsenal were just outside the 18-yard box on a corner - all four. They were trying to suffocate them, press them in, win the second ball, win the third ball. Surely you [United] prepare for that?"
Keane, however, was not prepared to concede ground in their argument. He responded by mentioning Arsenal lost that game against Leicester, saying: "You mention the high press but they lost to Leicester! Did they lose to Leicester? Did they lose to Leicester? Brilliant."
But Cahill insisted that Arteta deserved plaudits for sticking to his philosophy. He said: "The key thing is Arsenal are progressing because there's an identity, there's a formula to the way they play. They play out from the back and they'll keep playing out from the back - and that's why I think Mikel deserves a lot of praise."
And when Keane asked how many games Arsenal had lost prior to their match against United, the former Evertonian said: "They've lost a few games but they know why they've lost. They're learning and progressing."
It was fair to say, though, that his punditry partner didn't see things the same way as the Australian. Keane ended the argument by saying: "They won today against a poor United team and all of a sudden, what, they're the new Bayern Munich? Do me a favour."
Watch Keane and Cahill's Argument
Keane Has Done U-Turn on Arsenal
roy keane
While Keane didn't believe in what Arteta was doing at Arsenal back in 2020, both the Gunners and their manager have come a long way since then. Having consistently challenged at the Premier League's summit for several seasons, they now sit six points clear of second-placed Chelsea after 12 games this term. And while they might not be the new Bayern Munich, they recently managed to beat the Bundesliga giants 3-1 in the Champions League.
Putting such an impressive string of performances together has led to many waxing lyrical over Arsenal's title hopes, and that includes Keane. Speaking after Liverpool's loss to Manchester City earlier in November 2025, he stated that Arteta's side remain his pick for Premier League silverware this term.
"The signs are good for Man City – I think they’re back in the mix, but I’ll stick with Arsenal."