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In a brutal assessment following Sunderland’s 1-0 defeat to Liverpool at the Stadium of Light on February 11, 2026, Roy Keane pulled no punches, specifically targeting Habib Diarra for a lack of competitive edge. The former Black Cats boss was left “flabbergasted” as Diarra’s unfortunate moment—deflecting a Virgil van Dijk header into his own net—sealed the win for the visitors.
Keane, speaking on the Sky Sports panel, dissected a performance he felt lacked the leadership and grit required to maintain Sunderland’s previously unbeaten home record.
”I couldn’t believe what I was watching,” Keane fumed. “You’re playing Liverpool at home, the crowd is doing their bit, and you’ve got senior figures out there with absolutely no presence. Diarra was a passenger. When the ball comes in for the goal, you don’t just ‘hope’ it misses you; you attack it. He looked like he didn’t want to be there.”
The 22-year-old midfielder, who has been a regular fixture for Régis Le Bris this season, struggled to impose himself against a dominant Liverpool midfield led by Florian Wirtz. Keane’s “no presence” remark has quickly become the focal point of the post-match fallout, with the Irishman reminding the current squad that “putting a shift in” is the bare minimum required at the Stadium of Light.
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