"The way he behaved on the pitch; 70% of it is a red card today" - Ex-Manchester United star makes startling claim on Roy Keane's career

AS Roma midfielder Nemanja Matic has hit out at former Manchester United captain Roy Keane for his aggressive comments last season, claiming that the sport has changed over the years.

Matic, 34, left the Red Devils earlier this summer and joined AS Roma on a free transfer. He scored four goals and contributed 11 assists in 189 games during his five-year stint at Old Trafford. Before that, he had lifted two Premier League titles during his second spell at Chelsea.

A combative presence in the centre of the park, Matic was criticised by Keane for having a place in his heart for both Manchester United and Chelsea. In response, the Serb told The Sunday Times:

"I have respect for what he has done, but he needs to understand that football has changed. If I played for Chelsea, I cannot say I hate them. I cannot be angry when I'm talking to the press after the game."

He added:

"The way he behaved on pitch; 70 per cent of it is a red card today. You cannot throw a punch when all the cameras in the world are there. The real hero is when you go out on the street and say something, but he was always very nice with me, so what he says in public, to be honest, I don't really care. I know what I've done in my career, and I'm very happy."

Keane, who plied his trade as a midfielder for Sir Alex Ferguson's United between 1993 and 2005, was renowned for his hard-tackling, no-nonsense attitude on the pitch. He registered 51 goals and 36 assists in 472 appearances for the Red Devils, lifting 17 trophies.

Matic has enjoyed a positive start to his new chapter with Roma. He has made nine appearances across competitions, starting seven. Meanwhile,United are fifth in the Premier League with 12 points from six games. The Red Devils next face Manchester City at the Etihad on October 2.

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Manchester United touted as potential destination for Ajax midfielder

Speaking to Voetbal Nieuws (via Soccer News), former Ajax manager Aad de Mos lauded Kenneth Taylor, claiming the promising midfielder could soon pop up on the radar of Manchester United. He said:

"He is one of the best players on the field at Ajax. He will stay for another year after this, then it will be Barcelona, Real Madrid or Manchester United."

He added:

"If there are two buses parked in front of him, he knows how to make the right choices. He is two-footed. He has an iron will to defend and has a good head. A very talented player."

A two-footed deep-lying operator with a keen eye for a pass, Taylor has netted three times and contributed two assists in 10 games across competitions. He recently made his Netherlands debut from the bench in a 2-0 win over Poland in the UEFA Nations League.