Robert Pires sparked infamous bust-up between Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira

Arsenal legend Robert Pires claims he sparked an infamous tunnel bust-up between Manchester United and Arsenal.

Captains Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira were never shy of a tussle, so the fixture became famous for its battles that resulted in Premier League titles.

The two captains butted heads in the tunnel before a showdown at Highbury in 2005. Both were seen shouting at each other down the tunnel before going out onto the pitch for a Premier League fixture.

Footage showed Vieira walking down towards the tunnel entrance as the Frenchman’s team-mates Dennis Bergkamp and Pascal Cygan tried to calm him down. That was when Keane famously emerged shouting: “I’ll see you out there.”

Pires admits he likely caused tensions to boil over on that occasion.

“Things started to get heated and I think it was because of me actually,” Pires told The Times.

“Gary Neville arrived and barged into me. I reacted in French because I was annoyed. It starts kicking off and at that point, Pat arrives. He said to him: ‘You speak too much, you. Shut up.’

“At that moment, Keane arrives. And he goes, ‘You talk too much as well. I’ll see you on the pitch.” It was dicey between the two of them, tense. That for me was one of the best moments.”

The tensions were on the terraces too. Both teams went at it and the battles were fierce.

When Arsenal come to Old Trafford this evening, I don’t think the fixture will have anywhere near the same level of bite.

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