Re: The Barclays Premiership / Champions League Thread
Keano speaks!
Keane: United will crush title rivals
Manchester United legend Roy Keane believes that the Red Devils will win the 2011/12 Barclays Premier League title easily.
The ex-United captain believes that only Manchester City could pose any threat to the Red Devils' title aspirations this upcoming season.
According to reports in the Sun, Keane said: "Even Sir Alex Ferguson said the other day the league's getting tougher. But I don't think so.
"If United are really at it, which they will be, they'll win it comfortably.
"Even last year when United were slipping up, no team was strong enough to take advantage of it."
Keane also dismissed talk that the Red Devils have lost crucial campaigners Edwin Van der Sar, Gary Neville and Paul Scholes, adding: "United have bought well. People talk about losing experience and I appreciate that Van der Sar, Neville and Scholes have all retired.
"But they have good young players coming through - and Wayne Rooney can play better than he did last season.
"When you look at the players they have left behind, they have Vidic, Rio, Darren Fletcher - these are all international players. And Giggsy is still there, too.
"United don't let players go unless they know they have players coming through to replace them. Ashley Young and Phil Jones are good players, Chris Smalling is coming through and Danny Welbeck is a good player coming back after being on loan at Sunderland last season.
"And when the older lads come to the end in four or five years, you'll have the likes of Jones and Smalling to step in with five or six years experience behind them.
"It's like a machine.
"You can talk all you like about other teams getting stronger but, for me, United have got stronger as well.
"They're going to do the business. Of all the teams, if one has the balance right I believe it's United."
He was dismissive of Chelsea's new manager Andre Villas-Boas, and believes that the Portuguese will not be able to stop the rot at Stamford Bridge.
The Irishman mocked: "Everybody is on about this new young manager - but I don't think the manager will be the problem.
"It's always the players down there, they all seem to self-destruct. They're big pals one minute and the next you hear they're all bickering with each other and players aren't happy if someone else scores."
The 39-year-old also derided Arsenal's chances, saying: "Arsenal haven't really bought anybody.
"They've signed a striker, Gervinho, and, while the jury's out, you always have to give a boy a chance."
Moving on to Liverpool, Keane believes that the Red Devils' squad have moved way beyond the quality in Kenny Dalglish's ranks, which was shown in the starkly different pre-seasons both clubs had.
"Liverpool have bought good attacking players but I think it's actually defenders that they need. I think we've seen that a little bit in pre-season.
"Don't get carried away, Liverpool are in no position to win the league, nowhere near.
"Kenny Dalglish is the right man for the job. They've spent big money and bought good players - Luis Suarez is strong, Charlie Adam is a good player, but that was at Blackpool, and it's a big challenge for him.
"I gave Jordan Henderson his debut at Sunderland and he's a really good player. But to improve your team and to win the Premiership are two different things."
Premier League big-spenders City were the only ones be rated by Keane, who said: "You really have to take notice of City.
"I don't think the current City group see United as a machine that can't be stopped.
"Beating United at Wembley was a milestone for them.
"They've been close to getting results over United in the last few years - particularly when Sven Goran Eriksson was there and they did the double over United for the first time in a long time.
"But now you really have to take notice of City.
"When a team is spending that sort of money and bringing in the quality they have then they are a threat.
"City were very much a roller-coaster club but Roberto Mancini has done a good job."
Keane admitted that Mancini had bought well this summer, spending £48 million to bring in Argentine star Sergio Aguero, Gael Clichy and Stefan Savic.
"It's all well and good having money but Mancini has brought established internationals - quality players who can handle the big occasions", he added.
"When I was at United it was always about keeping them down there but they're creeping up now."
