Keane urges Man Utd pair to prove him wrong after “going through the motions”

Keane has been scathing in his criticism of Manchester United over recent seasons, but the Premier League giants are finally turning their form around under interim boss Ralf Rangnick

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Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has urged current Red Devils stars David de Gea and Harry Maguire to prove him wrong after the Irishman’s severe criticism of the pair.

Keane has blasted the duo on several occasions amid their poor performances for United in recent seasons, frequently questioning their ability to play at the top level.

De Gea has turned his form around this season to become one of the few bright points in what has been a difficult campaign so far for the Old Trafford club.

But Maguire has continued to struggle to live up to the reputation of being the world’s most expensive defender, as well as leading the team as captain.

Their struggles in part led to the sacking of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as United’s form took a nosedive, though caretaker bosses Michael Carrick and Ralf Rangnick have turned that around.

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Before Rangnick’s appointment as interim manager, former England international Micah Richards jokingly linked Keane with the job.

Richards and Keane have now taken part in a ‘Driving Home for Christmas’ series with SkyBet, with the former United skipper questioning why his fellow pundit believed he had no chance of taking over.

The former Manchester City star pointed to Keane’s frequent run-ins with De Gea and Maguire as evidence that he would find it difficult to get the dressing room onside.

Keane infamously blasted the duo after United’s draw at Tottenham in June 2020, with the Irishman visibly angry at their performance.

“I’m shocked at that goal. I’ve watched a lot of football over the years, but to give that away, I’m fuming,” he said on Sky Sports.

“I’m staggered at Maguire, staggered that an international player can get done like this, and I’m sick to death of this goalkeeper. This is an established international goalkeeper. I’m flabbergasted.

“There’s got to be something going on at half-time. If I was Ole, make some changes, get some lads off the pitch, some of them are going through the motions at the moment.

“Spurs have been okay, they’ve been compact. But Maguire and De Gea, I wouldn’t let them on the bus after the match, let them get a taxi back to Manchester.”

But despite that scathing criticism, Keane has now insisted that his first job as United manager would be to encourage De Gea and Maguire to prove him wrong.

“Why would that be a joke?” Keane asked Richards on the Driving Home for Christmas show about the latter’s tipping of him for the United job.

“Have you ever been in a dressing with me as a player? As a manager? You’re meant to challenge people, fall out with people.

“Alright – so the first thing, you’d walk into the club and pull them two and say ‘I’ve been really critical – prove me wrong’.

“And that’s the end of the conversation. If they get upset, no problem, players are upset all the time.

“And it’s not about the players liking the manager. The most important thing is, you hope, that the players respect the manager.”

United are set to next be in action on Monday when they travel to Newcastle, following an enforced break to an outbreak of Covid-19 at the club.