Keane: I can still mix it with the best

Manchester United captain Roy Keane believes he is still more than a match for any midfielder in the Barclays Premiership.

The Republic of Ireland international is with United on their US tour, which begins with a friendly against Bayern Munich tomorrow night in Chicago.

Keane has been troubled by injuries in recent seasons but still feels he is a better player than Liverpool talisman Steven Gerrard – and questioned whether Patrick Vieira could produce the goods when it really counts.

“I ask the same question of myself every morning: ‘Have I got something to offer Manchester United?’ At this moment in time the answer is always yes,” Keane told The People.

“Without a doubt I feel I can compete with players like Gerrard and Vieira. When I feel I can’t do that then I’ll know.

“The manager was very complimentary about Gerrard and there’s no doubt he is a very good player – but I still feel I am better than him and that’s not being big-headed.

“You look at Gerrard last season and he didn’t kick a ball for the first three and a half months. Then you look at Vieira. I always ask questions of people in certain big games and I just look at when Arsenal played against Chelsea in the Champions League.

“In the second half of that match at Highbury a lot of their players weren’t there to be seen.”