Roy Keane Left Stunned by Fan’s Unsolicited Hug Before Community Shield
Roy Keane, the legendary Manchester United midfielder, has never been one to mince his words when it comes to showboating on the pitch. But, it seems even he was caught off guard when a fan tried to hug him before the Community Shield match on Saturday.
Keane and fellow pundit Ian Wright were on duty for ITV’s broadcast of the traditional season curtain-raiser between Manchester City and Manchester United at Wembley Stadium. As they walked onto the pitch, Wright was greeted with an unexpected hug from content creator Harry Pinero, who had clearly not checked the rules of engagement for the occasion.
Keane, however, was not so prepared for the affection. Pinero’s friend, CultureCams, attempted to replicate the display with Keane, but the Irishman seemed utterly bewildered. Keane has, in the past, made his feelings clear about pre-match hugging, famously disparaging the practice during a Premier League clash between United and Liverpool in 2019.
"I’m disgusted with players. You’re going to war. They’re hugging, and kissing. Don’t even look at the opposition – you’re going to battle against them," Keane famously said.
Despite his tough stance, it seems Keane has softened his stance slightly, admitting that "we’re all different" when Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish and Ross Barkley shared a warm hug before a match last year.
On the pitch, neither United nor City fielded their first-team XIs, with several players missing due to injury or rest. Nico O’Reilly earned his senior debut for City, while Lisandro Martinez started at left-back for United.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who is close to a move to West Ham, was left out of United’s squad.
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