Savage Man Utd legend Roy Keane rips into Andy Carroll and can’t help but smirk

On Jan 28, 2023

Roy Keane offered a brutally honest assessment of Andy Carroll by suggesting Manchester United are “in trouble” if the veteran striker causes them any problems.

The 34-year-old is now plying his trade at Championship outfit Reading again in the latest stop in his career, which has taken in spells as Newcastle, Liverpool and West Ham, among others, as well as the England national team. Carroll once broke Liverpool’s record transfer fee, costing the Reds £35million, but failed to live up to his price tag.

Despite featuring and scoring for England in Euro 2012, Carroll has struggled to ever prove himself at the top level, though Arsenal legend Ian Wright felt Reading’s target man could give United’s defenders something to think about in their FA Cup fourth round clash on Saturday evening.

“I remember watching him for England,” Wright said on ITV. “He’d done a very, very, very good job, it’s unfortunate. He’s been one of those players that’s been unlucky with the injuries, but you know, in his pomp he was a handful.

“If they [Reading] can get anywhere near that [from Carroll], if they can get the ball up to him he can hold it up, get the team up against him and support him, you never know.”

However, despite Wright’s generous prediction, Keane wasn’t having any of it, as he smirked: “Well I think if Man Utd are worried about Andy Carroll, and if he’s going to cause them problems, then United are in trouble. They should be able to deal with Andy Carroll.

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Roy Keane had no concerns about Andy Carroll against Man Utd
(Image: PA)

“Obviously [it depends on] the service into him, he’s a big strong boy, but again, you’re looking at clips from 10 years ago, he’s shown he’s not gonna cause United too many problems.”

The savage remarks were typical from the hard-nosed pundit, though Keane may have good reason. Carroll has found the net just 14 times in his last six seasons, yet four of those have come for Reading this campaign.

He only returned to the Madejski Stadium in September on a four-month contract, having left for West Brom last January. Carroll has since recently signed a new 18-month contract with Reading, with boss Paul Ince lavishing praise on the striker and his contribution to the team.

“Sometimes there is this perception of Andy Carroll – I don’t know what it is,” Ince told Berkshire Live. “I didn’t really know him before I got here, I knew him as a player but not as a person.

“AC (Andy Carroll) from day one was just brilliant, the way he conducted himself and I spoke to a few others who were with him here last year and they said he was great in the changing room. But you want to see those things for yourself.

Reading’s Andy Carroll battling with Manchester United’s Tyrell Malacia in the FA Cup fourth round tie

“Taking the football away, as a person, he is someone who has been a revelation for us. The lads look up to him whether things are going good or bad.

“He understands where we are as a club and knows what we are trying to do. In training, he does everything right. He does everything to the letter and is the ultimate pro.”