""I'm not sure the exact ages of what they are" - for the record, Keane is nine years older than Gerrard, Vieira four - "but you knew if you played against Roy Keane or Patrick Vieira at that age, you had to go above and beyond to live with them. "On the day, to try and get the better of them, I had to go above and beyond where I was at in my career to live with that level of player.""
""In my early years, I was always compared to Roy Keane, your Patrick Vieiras, and I was 19, 20, 21 probably, when they were in their peak, I would say. "I didn't really feel like a proper man at the time. I didn't feel like I was finished in terms of body development, in terms of the level I could get to or my full potential.""
Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira were dominant, intimidating midfield generals for Manchester United and Arsenal who helped both clubs exchange Premier League titles repeatedly. Their combination of physicality, tactical intelligence and consistency made them exceptionally difficult opponents. A young Steven Gerrard struggled to match their intensity and physical development during his early career and had to elevate his game significantly to compete with them. Keane was nine years older than Gerrard and Vieira four, increasing the experience gap. Playing against Keane and Vieira required going above and beyond typical standards to live with their level, often demanding extra effort on match days.
Read at www.fourfourtwo.com
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