‘If you’re Grealish or Sterling, you can’t have a young kid step up in front of you’: Roy Keane criticises England’s senior players for allowing Bukayo Saka to take crucial penalty which led to England’s Euro 2020 final defeat
Roy Keane has criticised England’s senior stars for not leading by example by taking a penalty kick-in their shootout defeat by Italy.
England lost the Euro 2020 final after 19-year-old Bukayo Saka missed the crucial final spot-kick to see the Three Lions defeated 3-2 on penalties following earlier misses by Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho.
The Arsenal star had to score to keep England’s hopes alive but he saw his penalty saved by Gianluigi Donnraumma.
Bukayo Saka (centre) is consoled by England team-mates after his penalty miss led to Italy winning the European Championship
Roy Keane was scathing of England’s senior players for not protecting Saka in the shootout
Roy Keane had sympathy with the winger though, insisting more senior players should have stepped up instead to take the pressure off him.
‘If you’re [Jack] Grealish or [Raheem] Sterling, you can’t have a young kid step up in front of you’ Keane told ITV.
‘You can’t sit there and say “I see a 19 year old kid walk in front of me, when I’ve played a lot more games, a lot more experience…” and Sterling’s who has won trophies.
‘I’m not saying he wasn’t prepared he might have been six or seven, you can’t sit there, it must be hard to take. You’ve got to get in front of this kid and say “listen I’m gonna step up in front of you”.
More to follow…
