Shearer: Fuming Roy Keane 'was standing at the top of the stairs waiting for me'

Alan Shearer has revealed how his famous bust-up with Roy Keane in Newcastle's 4-3 win against Manchester United continued in the tunnel with the fuming Irishman 'standing at the top of the stairs' waiting for him.

The seven-goal thriller in the 2001-02 season was drawing to a close and Shearer was attempting to run down the clock to see out the win, a tactic that angered Keane.

The United midfielder went to take a throw-in but instead threw it directly at Shearer and a melee between them and team-mates broke out when a red card was issued in Keane's direction.

But Shearer has now detailed what transpired after the final whistle at St James' Park as Keane was in no mood to drop the issue after the match.

'When you went from the pitch into the tunnel at St James', there were a set of steps and then you split towards the home or away dressing-rooms,' Shearer told the Athletic.

'When the final whistle went, Roy was standing at the top of the stairs waiting for me.

'I'm pretty sure a few more choice words exchanged, there was some bustling and scrambling, but there were way too many people between us for anything physical to actually happen. That's usually how it pans out in football.'

An own-goal from Wes Brown eight minutes from time sealed the win for Newcastle and Keane's frustration boiled over in the 88th minute when he saw red.

Shearer recalls the ball being thrown at him and then Keane 'took a swing and missed' before he was given his marching orders.

The pair have since gone on to forge careers as pundits on television and Shearer has insisted that there is no bad blood between them nowadays despite fiery episodes in their careers.

'Roy was never an enemy, that's definitely not the right word but when you want to win as much as we did, things would occasionally spill over,' he added.

'We've worked together on television over the years and there's never been any problem. We've got on well.'