Breaking News: Patrick Vieira makes blunt remark to Gary Neville’s face 19 years after tunnel bust-up

Patrick Vieira has told Gary Neville how he “couldn’t stand” the Man United legend during their playing days (Image: John Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)

Once rivals, now colleagues Gary Neville and Patrick Vieira discussed one of the most notorious tunnel confrontations in Premier League history, getting right to the point.

During their playing days, Patrick Vieira, an Arsenal legend, “couldn’t stand” Manchester United legend Gary Neville.

The two pundits were involved in a controversial altercation that made headlines in the Premier League back in 2005. The Red Devils went on to win 4-2 that day at Highbury, where the two sides lined up in the tunnel. At the time, United captain Roy Keane angrily yelled at his opponent Vieira from the Gunners.

Before kickoff, Vieira approached Neville and said to the full-back, “You won’t kick our f*****g players today.” This is actually what started the altercation. When Neville told the other members of his team what had happened, Keane became enraged and saw it as a slight against the entire team.

The Irishman has already expressed how he felt obliged to defend his teammate, and in actuality, the event probably served to further inspire United. However, Vieira offered his version of events and clarified why he saw it necessary to speak with Neville at all.

That was my idea to plan it. On the most recent episode of Stick to Football, presented to you by Sky Bet, the Frenchman addressed his former opponent, “I didn’t like you at all because of the 9 years I spent at Arsenal.” It’s true that you were kicking everyone, especially Robert [Pires] when he was there, and I couldn’t stand you at all. You fought against Robert in that game, so I knew that was the strategy for you when I said, “I must make you aware that you are not going to touch Robert today.”

No matter how one feels about the message, Vieira’s candour in facing his former enemy cannot be criticised. At the time, Arsene Wenger’s club was perhaps the most technically proficient in the Premier League, whereas Sir Alex Ferguson’s United preferred a more rugged style of play.

Vieira gave his side of the story on the Stick to Football podcast ( Image: Stick to Football podcast)

Then, 47-year-old Vieira poked fun at United requesting assistance from the authorities during the Ferguson era, saying, “That day I had to tell you to leave him alone.” I thought your criticism of him was excessive. At the time, I thought you went far since it was too much and too blatant, even though Robert was too kind to be critical.

“I had it planned because, quite obviously, you had so much power and could do whatever you really wanted to do because Manchester United controlled all the referees.” I used to chase after you in the warm-up whenever I noticed you heading into the tunnel. I just rushed after you when I spotted you jogging because I wanted to let you know that today would be different and that this wasn’t going to happen.”

The World Cup winner offered Jamie Carragher a knowing elbow and smiled at his own remark that Neville, 49, “struggled against” Pires. Given that Neville started opposite Pires for the most of his 17 meetings with United, one could even argue the opposite was true. Pires only managed to win four of those matches.

Neville actually had greater success versus Arsenal while Pires was in charge in north London. Nine Premier League losses for the full-back against the Gunners occurred between 1995 and 1998; in contrast, Pires’ two losses under Wenger between 2000 and 2006 occurred between 2000 and 2006.