Liverpool's win was thrilling but Roy Keane vs Jurgen Klopp was the TV battle everyone wanted to see

There are a lot of common misconceptions about Roy Keane, where myth blurs into fact, a complex and multi-layered personality is reduced to a simple caricature and a highly intelligent mind is diminished to the point where he is turned into the punditry equivalent of a cartoon villain.

All of these things rushed to the surface in the aftermath of Jurgen Klopp’s prickly post-match interview with Keane.

The country’s sharpest tongued and most entertaining pundit versus the best and currently most revered manager in the Premier League. What was not to like?

Particularly when the former also happened to be Manchester United’s captain when they dominated English football for more than a decade and the other is the current manager of a magnificent Liverpool team playing a thrilling modern style of football, which is surely going to dominate this season as comprehensively as they did the last.

It was tense, a little uncomfortable, but absolutely fascinating as two out-spoken, big personality, high profile individuals clashed in an exchange that went from open conflict to alpha male passive aggressive, to terse everything is fine, we’ve all got opinions, there are no problems here, mate type stuff, followed by – on Klopp’s part – an awkward fake laugh as he exited.

It began because the Liverpool manager had taken exception to a phrase used by Keane in his assessment of the 3-1 victory over Arsenal. Keane had said some of Liverpool’s play had been “sloppy” and they will have “been disappointed” with some of the missed chances, while generally praising the performance and, most importantly, in his mind, the result.

Enter Klopp, fizzing with adrenaline after an excellent display and no doubt aware of some of the spiteful and acidic things Keane said at the start of his reign that were rather less kind about his Liverpool team.

“Did I hear Mr Keane correctly… that this was a sloppy performance tonight? Maybe he was talking about another game, it cannot be this game, sorry…. [Sloppy] That is an incredible [stops himself saying ridiculous] description of the game, nothing was sloppy, nothing. From the first second it was dominant…

Keane eventually manages to speak so Klopp can hear him. “I think you might have misheard me, I said there were sloppy moments, I think you’ve been outstanding. I’ve been giving nothing but praise, so I’m not sure you have heard me correctly there.”

“I only heard the word sloppy…” replied Klopp.

“Right, well you need to listen to the whole thing….

“I will, I will watch it 100%...”

Now, if you are a Liverpool supporter or do not like Keane, which many do not of course, this was Klopp “owning” Keane or “tearing him a new one.” It was followed by all the usual “you love to see it” type stuff. Wasn’t it great that Keane was being challenged and put in his place? Some even suggested the Irishman looked rattled, afraid even. That the bully had just been bullied. In short, it was a victory for Klopp and a defeat for Keane.

Hmmm, maybe, but Keane’s reaction at the end suggested something different. Rather than cowed, or chastised, Keane had a look of exhilaration on his face. A smirk that turned into a grin. The eyes were sparkling. He had never looked more alive in a television studio.

This is Keane. Mischievous, funny, but more than anything, he enjoys the thrill of the argument. If he did not have the reputation for being so aggressive and confrontational (which he can be, for sure), you would see that Keane is, actually, just a very skilled and occasionally brutal wind up merchant.

While others around him looked and sounded uncomfortable and nervous, he kept icy calm. While Klopp looked angry, Keane looked amused.

Keane had loved every minute. He had, albeit unwittingly, poked Klopp and the German had shown his teeth. Klopp had snarled and snapped, Keane had listened and, very calmly, stuck to the point he had made while a nervous presenter Dave Jones delivered a more conciliatory tone on his behalf.

There was no attempt to apologise by Keane, or any hint of backing down. He did not even try to explain what he had meant.

After Klopp had gone on to admit there were moments when Arsenal could have scored, while offering a very persuasive assessment that Liverpool are always going to take risks with their style of play and risks were worth it, while praising his players some more and expressing his happiness at their 100% win record at the start of the season, the exchange was over.

Or so we thought because, his face beaming with a mixture of adrenaline and joy, Keane had the final say. He had, whether he meant to or not, still managed to irritate a Liverpool manager. He had got under his skin and had just given Sky everything they wanted from him as a pundit. Keane may have failed to replicate the success he had as a player as a manager, but he is excelling in his new job.

When it was put to him that managers can be a bit sensitive, Keane’s face could not have radiated more satisfaction

“Very sensitive isn’t he? Jesus. Imagine if he had lost.”

Never forget that Keane was United captain when Kevin Keegan ranted and raved during a television interview about comments his manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, had made to the media. Keegan’s Newcastle lost the league to United that season and everyone decided that Ferguson’s mind games had got to Keegan and, in turn, his players.

The significance of that has always been massively overplayed. Newcastle lost the title in 1996, after holding a 13-point lead, because of the weight of history that comes with having not been champions since 1927, because of an outstanding performance by goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel in a 1-0 smash and grab win by United at St James’ Park and the fact Newcastle kept missing chances they had scored for most of the season during the run in.

They were, for want of a better word, sloppy and United were relentlessly efficient in their pursuit.

So, no, Keane did not deliberately provoke Klopp. He was a little taken aback when the German challenged him, but by the end, he had thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing and so, too, had his employers. That all adds up to a very strange sort of defeat, if that is still what you think it was.