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"I've never seen so many hugs" | Keane bemoans lacklustre Derby

As a lacklustre clash between Manchester United and Manchester City lumbered to a 0-0 draw in Old...



Soccer

"I've never seen so many hugs" | Keane bemoans lacklustre Derby

As a lacklustre clash between Manchester United and Manchester City lumbered to a 0-0 draw in Old Trafford on Saturday evening, Roy Keane bemoaned the lack of urgency displayed by both teams. 

A game that never truly got going, Manchester United followed up their mid-week disappointment in Europe with an uninspiring performance against Manchester City.

Troublingly, they were matched in this regard by Pep Guardiola's visitors to Old Trafford.

"Two booking in a Derby game," Roy Keane lamented in the immediate aftermath of Saturday's clash, "I've never seen so many hugs and chat after the game - it's a Derby game!

"I'm scratching my head here, really frustrated because you're thinking, you've got to go and try to find a way to win a game of football.

"At the end of the game, with the staff and players hugging each other, just get down the tunnel. I don't get it, everyone wants to be pals with each other."

Roy Keane

Speaking on Sky Sports after this evening's game, Roy Keane was left perplexed by elements of what he had seen from both sides and their perceived lack of enthusiasm for the task at hand.

"There was no intensity," he stressed, "a real lack of quality too considering the players that were on the pitch.

"United, credit to them, defensively I thought they did very, very well, but the lack of quality and end-product from both teams was really poor, really disappointing."

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An additional frustration for Keane was both managers' reluctance to use what they had available to them off the bench.

"You've got to gamble a little bit," he suggested, disappointed that neither City nor United appeared willing to take a risk that may result in victory.

"I'm not saying you get seven or eight people up in the box, but you've got to go and try to win a game of football.

"Listening to John Stones talking about a clean sheet, blah, blah, blah - you've got to go and win football matches. Look at Liverpool and Spurs who are doing well, you've got to try and hunt these teams down.

"People say that there's a long way left in the season but when the game is there for you, and you have the quality on the pitch... go and find a way to win."

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Manchester City Manchester United Ole Gunnar Solskjaer Paul Pogba Roy Keane