‘Players have done worse things at Man United’: Roy Keane leaps to Cristiano Ronaldo’s defence over his Old Trafford tantrum and claims the Portugal star was showing ‘he cares about the club’ by storming off during Spurs win
- Roy Keane has said he will continue to defend Cristiano Ronaldo at Man United
- The forward missed United’s game against Chelsea after midweek frustrations
- He refused to come on as a substitute against Tottenham and left the game early
- Keane said players have done worse and Ronaldo’s response was ‘human nature’
Roy Keane has insisted he will continue to defend Cristiano Ronaldo after the forward was banned from Manchester United’s game against Chelsea.
The forward was left out of the squad for the game at Stamford Bridge after refusing to come on as a substitute against Tottenham, casting further doubt over his future at Old Trafford.
Keane, speaking as a pundit for the Chelsea fixture on Sky Sports, claimed ‘players have done a lot worse at United’, and branded the incident as ‘human nature’.
Roy Keane has leapt to the defence of Cristiano Ronaldo after he was banned by the club
He misses United’s game against Chelsea after refusing to come off the bench in midweek
‘The fact he walked on the tunnel. He’s obviously been punished for it,’ said Keane.
‘But I try and see this from a player’s point of view. He’s obviously had enough he’s lost his head. And I think it’s been brewing over the last few weeks with Ronaldo but I will still try and defend him.
‘He feels frustrated that he’s not been probably getting opportunities. And he’s had enough and he’s walked down the tunnel. I think players have done a lot worse things at Man united. I think it happens. Human nature.’
Keane said Ronaldo’s reaction was ‘human nature’ and that players have done worse at the club
Ronaldo stormed down the tunnel before full time on Wednesday’s win against Tottenham
Ronaldo has made his frustration at a lack of minutes this season clear, and tensions boiled over when he left his spot on the substitutes bench early on Wednesday.
‘I’d be I’d be more worried if Ronaldo sit on the bench every week laughing his head off and not caring and I think the guy cares,’ Keane added.
‘I’ve said it before and this game. This game is full of loafers, and he’s certainly not one of them.
‘I think he cares about the club. People say and he’s not the player he was ten years ago. Of course he’s not. He was leading goalscorer last year for Man United.
‘He went to Man United last year to a bad man united team. Really bad team. He’s still leading goal scorer.’
