The ex-Reds midfielder played alongside Keane for the Republic of Ireland. Yet in 2002, they clashed when McAteer was playing for Sunderland. Keane was sent off when he elbowed McAteer at the Stadium of Light, although the Sky Sports pundit recently denied he did any wrongdoing.

That sparked a response from McAteer when on punditry duty for beinSPORT. He claimed he knew which 'buttons' he could push to antagonise Keane. But McAllister wants the incident to be left in the past, although if not then a boxing match promoted by Matchroom Sport chairman Eddie Hearn can be organised.

McAteer said: 'We're elite athletes, we're sportsmen, and we do things to win at all costs. Every sportsman at the top - cricketers call it sledging, basketball players do it, hockey players do it, American footballers - they call it trash talk.

"I knew what buttons to press that day, and I knew if we were going to win a game, my battle against Roy Keane, one of the greatest players, was to get in his head. And I knew I could get in his head.

"We clashed in the middle of t he park, his book had just come out - and again, he was derogatory. I was a little bit sad about what he said, he told me about what he was going to do to me in the clash and I said to him: 'Put it in your next book'. The world's seen him elbow me to say that he didn't do it, it's wrong, but to say I deserved it. It's salt.

"I'd rather him come in here now and he just, let bygones be bygones, let's just be civil. Or we can get in the ring for PS1m each and fight it out. Eddie, if you're watching. Eddie Hearn, get him on the phone. Roy, come on, you're better than that. And I'll stop reacting."