In September 2006, looking ahead to Arsenal’s visit to Old Trafford, Sir Alex Ferguson allowed his focus, invariably set purely on the future, a cursory flicker to past events. “Roy Keane against Patrick Vieira was an incredible competition between two titans of the game,” commented the Scot, surveying the legacy of a nine-year rivalry which had come to a close in 2005. “It was a great competition for years. I used to enjoy it and I think both players enjoyed it too.”
Of the nine seasons that the Irishman’s and the Frenchman’s Premier League careers aligned, eight ended with one of the pair clutching the Premier League title.