In the midst of a difficult season, Roy Keane has reserved praise for Cristiano Ronaldo and five teammates.
This season, Roy Keane has heaped accolades on Manchester United.
Roy Keane's praise is hard to come by, especially considering Manchester United has struggled to meet their goals this season. Despite the fact that United are still battling for Champions League qualifying, some of their players have impressed the Old Trafford legend.
Keane has criticized a number of players this season, including Portugal prodigy Bruno Fernandes and £80 million captain Harry Maguire. Six teammates, on the other hand, have received appreciation.
De Gea, David
Criticism directed towards the long-serving Spaniard in 2020 is near the top of an infinite list of legendary rants. Following a 2-2 draw with Tottenham, the no-nonsense Irishman said he would be 'throwing fists' at De Gea, adding that the goalkeeper and Maguire would have to 'hire a cab back to Manchester' if he was involved.
After 18 months, de Gea was finally praised by Keane, albeit unwillingly. "This is the one," the former United captain stated after witnessing him make a save to deny Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi. Awful defending. I'm going to give De Gea credit because Jimmy [Floyd Hasselbaink] feels he should score. This is unusual for me, but I genuinely thought it was a good save.
In a game against Aston Villa in January, he went even farther, saying: "De Gea has returned to his greatest form, and I'm glad to give him credit for that. David de Gea is allowed to board the bus once more..."
Fred
After openly criticizing the Brazilian earlier this season, Keane reversed his opinion while praising his performance against Leeds. It also inspired a joke from the Irishman, who indicated that the United midfielder had been slammed by his namesake Robbie.
Keane, speaking on Sports news, said: "To be honest, Fred has progressed over the last few months. Yes, Fred has been chastised by Robbie... He's added a couple of goals and assists to his tally. For him, it's about time."
Garner, James
So that's five United players plus one loanee. Garner has impressed throughout his time with Nottingham Forest in the Championship, and Keane singled out the Academy product for special appreciation before of Sunday's FA Cup encounter with Liverpool.
According to Keane: "He's had a great working relationship with [Ryan] Yatesy; they compliment each other well, and he's a technical wizard. He prefers to call the play and sits little deeper than Yates. It was a difficult game for him, but it's a terrific experience for young players to face top players like Liverpool, and it's a great way to develop."
Cristiano Ronaldo is a Portuguese footballer who plays for Real Madrid
During the November international break, Ronaldo, who has 18 goals for United this season, made headlines when he scored twice late in a World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland. "Ronaldo looked off it, missed a penalty, but we saw what he's about," Keane remarked, putting his nationality aside. Getting into the box, the final product, and two outstanding headers.
"The first one was really brave, and the second one was a great movement, and the precision of the header, how many times can I say that?" I'm tired of saying it, but the man is a genius."
Following Ronaldo's hat-trick against Tottenham, his former teammate echoed that sentiment, saying, "It was entertaining, and Ronaldo stood up to the plate."
"He appeared enraged, with a lot of hostility; he was clearly offended by something, yet he demonstrated what we've all seen over the years." He's terrific, a genius; the three goals were incredible; he had five touches in all; he adds so much to this team."
Anthony Elanga and Jadon Sancho
Sancho arrived at Old Trafford last summer after a four-year wait after Bundesliga heavyweights Borussia Dortmund agreed to allow his £72.9 million transfer. While he initially struggled, the England striker has now regained his Dortmund form.
Sancho provided two assists in a 4-2 victory over Leeds, and Keane was on the Sky Sports panel. "He has gained confidence and is learning the United way," he said. He's becoming braver and displaying a little more bravery. Those are nuances that come with having confidence and having a swagger. It's encouraging to see since he was being chastised."
On the same Sunday afternoon, Keane lauded Elanga after the Sweden starlet assisted United in clinching three points. "This young guy Elanga, he's a pretty good player," he added.
"It was a positive experience, and the victory was well-deserved in the end." They put it a valiant effort, but United were by far the superior squad."
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