A feud between Roy Keane and Michael Carrick has ignited ahead of today's explosive showdown between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford.
Carrick replaced Keane as the Red Devils' No 16 back in 2007, a year after the Irishman had left the club in controversial circumstances.
Earlier this week, Keane launched a scathing attack on the newly appointed caretaker manager's interim coaching setup, but one remark drew particular attention.
During an appearance on the Stick To Football podcast, Keane took a direct swipe at Carrick's spouse Lisa.
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"His wife can always come in [if Carrick doesn't do well], cause she's got a bit of a big mouth sometimes. She's probably doing the team talk," Keane stated.
The animosity between the pair traces back to the 2013/14 campaign when Keane criticised Carrick following a television interview after United's 2-0 Champions League defeat to Olympiacos in the last-16 first leg.
The Irishman remarked at the time: "That interview was just like the performance: flat.
A feud between Roy Keane and Michael Carrick has ignited ahead of today's explosive showdown between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford
|PA
"He [Carrick] should say a bit more, have a bit more urgency, even in the interview."
Lisa Carrick responded on social media with a post that read: "Roy Keane what a **** will say anything to provoke a reaction."
Though subsequently deleted, that exchange appears to mark the flashpoint where hostilities between the camps first emerged.
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This, by the way, is also so poor from Keane.
— Jonny (@JonnyLeck97) January 15, 2026
Holding on to something Carrick’s wife said, in defence of her husband after Roy Keane scathed him live on TV. Something that happened TWELVE years ago.
Didn’t like that, at all.pic.twitter.com/oL2Z7uZraN https://t.co/h3cqUe3T7B
Beyond his pointed remarks about Lisa Carrick, Keane also directed criticism at the wider interim coaching team assembled at Old Trafford.
The former midfielder questioned the credentials of Jonny Evans in particular, highlighting what he perceived as a peculiar career trajectory.
"He's on the beach two weeks ago, Jonny Evans," he remarked.
"Jonny Evans leaves Man United four or five weeks ago as a loans manager and then Darren Fletcher gives him a job, strangely enough gives him a job."
He continued: "What has Jonny Evans done to be a coach of Man United's first team? He left the job four weeks ago - loans manager and ironically comes back working with the first team. That's a big step up isn't it?"
Carrick brushed aside the criticism when questioned about Keane's remarks during his inaugural press conference as caretaker boss ahead of the City clash, insisting he was unfazed.
Michael Carrick was unfazed by Roy Keane's comments about his wife
| GETTY"It didn't bother me," he responded when asked directly about the comments.
The United legend also addressed the broader scrutiny from former players working in the media, insisting their opinions carry no additional weight for him.
"They're [former players in the media] not putting more pressure on me, I don't feel that," Carrick explained.
"There's a lot of opinions, a lot can be said. It is the way of the world, I'm not going to pay too much attention to most of that."