Manchester United appear to have sent a response to former captain Roy Keane over his explosive comments live on Sky Sports before the Manchester derby win over City
Jonny Evans ahead of the Premier League match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford.
Jonny Evans is part of Michael Carrick's first team coaching staff. (Image: Copa/Getty Images)
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Manchester United appear to have delivered a response to former captain Roy Keane, following his explosive comments on the hiring of Jonny Evans at the club. Evans has returned to United as part of Michael Carrick’s coaching staff.
The appointment came just months after he left his role as loan manager. He joins Steve Holland, Jonathan Woodgate and Travis Binnion on the coaching staff until the end of the season, and it’s a move that has been questioned by Keane.
However, just days after the comments shared live on Sky Sports by the former midfielder, United have released a clip on social media of Harry Maguire – another singled out for criticism by Keane – singing the praises of Evans. The two central defenders played together at Leicester City before reuniting at United.
In a clip posted on X by United, Maguire said: “He’s a great guy, he’s really calm, a real good player. When I speak about underrated players, I’d say Jonny for me was probably the most underrated player I have ever played with.
"If I was a young boy and I was teaching someone to watch defending and watch body positioning and watch movement, I’d say watch Jonny Evans, he was that good at his body positioning and the way that he’s so active in every part of the game.”
United will hope that Evans will be able to pass on his knowledge to the defenders on the training pitch between now and the end of the season. But his appointment did leave Keane asking some questions.
Speaking on Sky Sports before the 2-0 Manchester Derby win, Keane said: “Jonny Evans rocks up, they’ve signed him twice.
"It’s not an issue with Jonny Evans, it’s an issue with the club and the decision-making, who they’re bringing in.
“Jonny Evans left Man United four or five weeks ago. He left as a summer player and started as a loans manager. He wasn’t there ten years doing it. A few months.
“My issue with Jonny is he’s got no coaching. It’s not as if he worked in the academy for a few years.
Roy Keane on Sky Sports
Roy Keane took aim at Jonny Evans, Harry Maguire and Michael Carrick before the Manchester derby(Image: Sky Sports)
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"He comes in with Darren Fletcher and he has very little experience but he’s worked at academy level. Jonny gets a phone call saying: ‘Do you want to come back?’
“And I bet Jonny’s thinking, ‘As a kit manager or working with the Under-12s?’ No, no, you’re working with the first team with Darren. Okay, great opportunity.
“You have two games, doesn’t go too well. That’s probably the end of that. No, no. Another manager comes in, he wants you to stay on as well.”
Despite the lack of a victory under caretaker manager Darren Fletcher following the sacking of Ruben Amorim, things couldn’t have gone much better for Carrick’s first game in charge of United, as they prevailed 2-0 winners over Pep Guardiola's title-chasing City.
He will hope that continues next week when the team travel to take on league leaders Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday (4.30pm).
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