Shivering Chelsea stars given blankets to keep warm on Liverpool bench as fans joke 'don't let Roy Keane see this'

Posted Saturday, March 06, 2021 by Thesun.co.uk

THE sight of Chelsea substitutes being handed blankets to warm up during the win over Liverpool left fans calling for the footage to be hidden from Roy Keane.

The curmudgeonly pundit was not on hand to give his reaction to the Blues stars shivering on the bench at Anfield.

Kepa Arrizabalaga, Marcos Alonso, Kai Havertz and Mateo Kovacic were all seen throwing extra layers on as they watched Thursday's game unfold.

Sky Sports commentator Martin Tyler joked: "What's happening to footballers these days? It's a little bit chilly."

And Liverpool hero turned pundit Jamie Carragher added: "They don't like it up north."

Many saw the funny side and remarked that Sky analyst Keane, 49, would have hated the sight.

One fan online wrote: "Don't let Roy Keane see this."

While another posted with laughing emojis: "Roy Keane's face after witnessing this."

Manchester United icon Keane has never held back on criticising players who he perceives to be weak or pampered.

In September 2016, he reacted to a solid performance by Arsenal and Theo Walcott by claiming they would suffer when it got cold later in the season.

Shivering Chelsea stars given blankets to keep warm on Liverpool bench as fans joke 'don't let Roy Keane see this'
Fans joked that footage of the Chelsea subs should not be shown to Roy KeaneCredit: Sky Sports

Shivering Chelsea stars given blankets to keep warm on Liverpool bench as fans joke 'don't let Roy Keane see this'
Mason Mount skated past Liverpool's frozen defence to net the winner on ThursdayCredit: Getty - Pool

Keane stated: "The crunch games are still to come for them, when the cold nights come in.

"With half the Arsenal players with their gloves on, so I wouldn't be getting carried away with Walcott."

Indeed, the Gunners' title challenge did collapse that season although their worst drop in form occurred towards the end of the winter.

Some fans leapt to the defence of Chelsea's subs warming up while waiting to come on in the 1-0 win, with the clip posted online by Sky coming after 22 minutes of the match.

One wrote: "Keeping their muscles warm to prevent injuries?…. have you ever seen football?"

While another viewer stated: "They're human and were cold, thus they were handed blankets in order to keep warm. It's not rocket science is it?"

Yet one fan laughed in a comment that read: "Game's gone soft."