Fight Club! Keane vs Haaland

ROY KEANE MANCHESTER UNITED

A skilled amateur boxer, the Irishman’s formative football moment came when Brian Clough punched the midfielder in the face for gifting Crystal Palace a goal in a 1991 cup tie at Nottingham Forest.

Trailing 1-0 at Elland Road in September 1997, Keane tackled Haaland and tore his own anterior cruciate ligament. Roy watched on as the Red Devils wasted an 11-point lead to lose the title to Arsenal.

The United skipper waited four years for revenge, scything Haaland’s right knee in 2001’s Manchester derby and yelling abuse at his foe. He was sent off, served a three-game ban and fined £5,000, too.

“I’d waited long enough, I f**king hit him hard,” wrote Roy in his 2002 book. “Take that you c**t – don’t ever stand over me sneering about fake injuries.” That led to a £150,000 fine and five-game ban. Ah.

ALF-INGE HAALAND MANCHESTER CITY

The defender-cum-midfielder for Leeds and Manchester City irked Roy by saying, “I don’t think he is mentally right” and “I really dislike United and can’t stand their players”. Card very much marked.

The Norwegian wasn’t happy. He stood over a prostrate Keane, accusing him of trying to hurt him and feigning injury to avoid sanction for the tackle. Roy’s rage festered throughout his convalescence.

Contrary to popular myth he finished the game and started City’s next match. He would later have surgery on a left knee which already troubled him and retired in 2003, playing just a further four times.

“The knee still hurts, that isn’t going to go away,” said Haaland in 2008. “I have to accept that. Did that tackle end my career? Well, I never played a full game again. It seems like a great coincidence.”