Keane relishing 'crunch time'

Roy Keane has admitted it is "crunch time" in Manchester United’s pursuit of honours.

Keane leads his team against neighbours City tomorrow at the start of a 10-day period which ought to determine whether the Red Devils will enter the latter stages of the campaign with any hope of adding to their vast trophy collection.

After the Barclays Premiership confrontation with Kevin Keegan’s men, United visit Everton next weekend hoping to secure a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals before they gear themselves up to meet AC Milan in the Champions League knockout phase.

It is the type of situation Keane will not be involved in too many more times, following his re-stated intention to end his playing days in 2006.

But United boss Alex Ferguson knows he can count on the Corkman to strain every sinew in pursuit of success.

“If you’re honest, over the first four or five months of a season, we are all jostling for position,” said the 33-year-old United captain.

“But with the Milan games coming up, plus league and cup matches, you could say it’s crunch time for everybody. For the manager, the players and the fans, this is where it gets exciting.

“There are some massive challenges in front of us. But that is what we are in the game for, and the challenge of trying to be successful is the reason we are at Manchester United.”

Over the past month Keane has rolled back the years, producing a succession of magnificent performances which have one again catapulted him back to being the number one midfielder in the Premiership.

Steven Gerrard and Patrick Vieira both felt the full force of Keane’s tenacity, before he single-handedly lifted United over a stubborn Birmingham outfit with his 50th United goal at Old Trafford last weekend.

Keane has set his sights on Manchester City and their midfielder Joey Barton, who will carry the weight of responsibility in the home engine room as Paul Bosvelt misses out through suspension.

It is probably no coincidence that Keane was missing on both occasions United lost to City in the last two campaigns – a 3-1 reverse at Maine Road in 2003, followed by a 4-1 mauling at Eastlands 12 months ago.

Captain combative was present in November, though, when City collected a point from a stupefying goalless draw at Old Trafford in which the visitors barely advanced out of their own half let alone fashioned a shot on target.

While Keane can understand the logic of those tactics, it is not the type of football he likes to play – and he hopes United’s more attack-minded philosophy can allow them to get their own back tomorrow.

“Earlier in the season, Manchester City’s reactions after the game suggested they were pleased to get a draw,” he said.

“But the way we play at United is to try and win every football match. We play the right way – that is why people all over the world like watching us.

“Maybe Manchester City will have to try and get a win in front of their own fans – but we will certainly be trying to do it.”

With Cristiano Ronaldo struggling to overcome an Achilles injury, Paul Scholes should earn an instant recall to duty after sitting out the Birmingham win.

Wes Brown will continue alongside Rio Ferdinand in central defence as Mikael Silvestre continues his three-match suspension – while Ryan Giggs is expected to have recovered from the hamstring strain which kept him out of Wales’ midweek win over Hungary.

At such a crucial stage of the season – and with Chelsea offering some hope to United of an unexpected slip – Giggs, Scholes and Keane are the ones expected to carry the fight.

However, Keane confirms the younger generation are playing their part too.

It is not that long ago he was berating United’s emerging talent for not taking their training seriously enough.

Now it appears the harsh words have sunk in, and Keane is happy to take a lead from them at times too.

“The younger players have pulled us through at times this season,” he admitted.

“If you look at Darren Fletcher, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney in particular they have helped me, Ryan, Scholesy and Gary Neville.

“It works both ways. We have got the experience, but they have the enthusiasm - and most importantly, they also have no fear.”