Martin Keown would’ve been a criminal if it wasn’t for football, he reminded me of psychopaths, says ex-Arsenal teammate

Football “saved” Martin Keown’s life and without it he would have been a criminal.

That’s according to his former Arsenal teammate Emmanuel Petit, who told talkSPORT he reminded him of “psychopaths”.

Keown, who made 440 appearances for the Gunners, was known as a pragmatic centre-back who cut an aggressive figure on the pitch.

He did so alongside compatriot Tony Adams, as they both showed courage and physicality in their two Premier League title triumphs together.

Appearing on talkSPORT Drive, Petit was asked who would win a fight between the pair before explaining why amid his ex-teammate’s fiery presence.

“I would probably put a coin on Martin. Why? Because I always told him if you listened he wouldn’t be surprised, I always told him football saved his life otherwise he would have become a criminal,” Petit said. .

Host Andy Goldstein was shocked but Petit added: “Football saved him. The rules on the field, the fight he could have on the field with the laws, with the referees, things like that. He knew the television was watching him, the fans were watching him so he had to behave well, good manners too.

“I remember so many things about him, this guy reminds me of psychopaths sometimes. I told him that football saved you otherwise you would get into trouble in normal life. He is such a nice guy but all in all ‘Suddenly, in the space of a Second, it can change’.

Petit then alluded to Keown’s famous battle with Paolo Di Canio, who defended his Sheffield Wednesday teammate Wim Jonk after being pushed by Patrick Vieira following their scuffle.

Keown intervened but his elbow hit Di Canio’s head and his face was grabbed in retaliation, with the Italian also sent off by referee Paul Alcock before pushing him over the top.

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Petit, who played in that match, used their confrontation as an example of the rage he saw in Keown and explained: “I remember, we were trying to take Martin’s hands and fingers off of Keown’s throat. Paolo Di Canio.

“He was trying to strangle him and he was almost ready to do it. You could see his eyes, he wasn’t there anymore, he just wanted to kill Paolo Di Canio.”

Petit later added: “The way he played, the way he took care of the attackers all the time.

“Me and Patrick in midfield, we were so happy to have Tony, to have the four defenders, the English, because we could travel all over the world with them and they would fight until they die, they die on the ground.

“Martin, it’s funny because I see that Tony was smart enough to understand that. I don’t mean that in a bad way, it’s a bit of a joke you know, but I think Tony understood it and he handled Martin like someone walking with his dangerous dog.