Match Rewind: Four Keane classics to choose from

Three times each week during the UK's lockdown, we've been offering you the chance to watch 'live' football via our retro offering, which brings you the best from the Manchester United archives.

 

Fans can choose from four matches, with the winning choice being shown on the ManUtd.com homepage and our Official App.

 

This time we're focusing on arguably the greatest United captain of the Premier League era, Roy Keane. A god-like leader who could do everything in midfield, Keane had no shortage of great performances during a 12-year stay at Old Trafford. But we've whittled his best days out to the following four (minus the famous Juventus game from 1999, which we've already shown). Read on to find out more, and don't forget to cast your vote afterwards!

 

 

The Reds had been dumped out of Europe by Galatasaray just a few days before this clash, with Eric Cantona sent off. And when City took a shock 2-0 lead during the first half, Maine Road was cock-a-hoop, as the Blues sniffed a first derby win of the decade.

But Cantona and co responded, and how. First, our then no.7 latched onto Michel Vonk's careless attempted header back to City goalkeeper Tony Coton and slid home. Then he orchestrated a sublime team move for the second, which culminated in a glorious low cross from Ryan Giggs which found the King striding in at the back post to equalise. 2-2. The coup de grace was applied just three minutes from the end, when Keane steamed on to Denis Irwin's cross to knock in the winner.

 

 

United had pipped Arsenal to the league and the FA Cup at the end of the previous season and, even though the Gunners had struck a blow in retaliation by winning the Charity Shield, there remained plenty of unsettled business when the two sides reconvened at Highbury three weeks later for their first Premier League meeting of the season.

Arsenal took the lead through Freddie Ljungberg in an open first half, but Andy Cole set up Keane to level just before the hour mark. Things boiled over in the final 10 minutes, with Keane and Vieira undergoing their usual private personal battle, but it was the Irishman who would have the last laugh. After a deflected Giggs shot, the skipper once again pounced in the area, calmly sliding the ball into the net. Martin Keown thought he'd restored parity late on, but his rebound was ruled out for a foul on United goalkeeper Raimond van der Gouw. The Dutchman had to be substituted, so there was even time for the briefest of cameos from debutant Nick Culkin. But it was Keane who took the headlines.

 

 

This victory was a historic one, as Alex Ferguson's side Treble-winning side became the first British club to be crowned world champions. And how fitting that it was Keane who netted the goal that would secure the accolade?

Ryan Giggs set up the decisive moment with a smart run and cross, and the Welshman was the Red that earned the Man-of-the-Match award. But Keane, as ever, was at the heartbeat of our efforts, alongside Nicky Butt in midfield. Palmeiras mounted a strong second-half comeback as they tried to erase his 35th-minute goal, but it proved in vain, as United conquered the globe in Tokyo.

 

 

Keano always enjoyed a goal against Leeds – his important strike against the Yorkshire club in the second half of the 1995/96 season was a vital staging post on the run-in to the title.

 

At Elland Road, seven years later, the captain reprised that moment in this tight Premier League match. United were all over the Whites – as in 1996 – but couldn't find the breakthrough, with Ronaldo seeing penalty claims turned down and Paul Robinson at his resilient best in the Leeds goal. But nine minutes from the end, Gary Neville swung a deep cross into the penalty area, and Keane rose to power home an accurate header across Robinson.

 

Now it’s time to vote for the match you want to see in full, via the Match Rewind live blog.

 

Be quick, though – the poll closes at 11:00 GMT on Tuesday, so we can get everything ready to stream the match later that evening, at 19:00 GMT.