- Martin Keown told Arsenal’s players to make the veteran defender ‘retire’
- Rio Ferdinand defended the veteran Porto star by labelling Keown as a ‘bully’
- England squad coming… who is the wild card pick? It’s All Kicking Off podcast
Rio Ferdinand jokingly reprimanded Martin Keown for being ‘out of order’ after the Arsenal legend told his old team to make the 41-year-old ‘want to retire’.
The veteran defender continued his remarkable career by starting Porto’s Champions League round of 16 clash against Arsenal on Tuesday evening as the visitor’s seek to cause an upset in London.
Pepe is the fifth-oldest player to ever feature in the Champions League, but is the oldest outfield player to ever compete, and has played an integral part in Porto’s domestic and European campaigns this season.
However, Keown believes Arsenal’s youthful team should look to exploit the legendary centre-back and demanded Mikel Arteta’s side attack the defender at the Emirates.
Speaking on TNT Sports, Keown said: ‘Pepe, 41 years of age, you have to get in and around him. You got to test him. You’ve got to make sure he wants to retire after this game. He’s had a great career.
Rio Ferdinand jokingly reprimanded Martin Keown for being ‘out of order’ before Arsenal’s game against Porto
Keown stated that Arsenal should make 41-year-old Pepe to ‘want to retire’ after Tuesday’s game
‘But look, someone’s got to really get into him and embarrass him because it’s a big boys game. You’re 41 years of age.
‘Can you still survive it? He can it looks like it. But I think we’ve got to question him.’
Former Man United star Ferdinand, hit back at his co-pundits comments, stating: ‘You’re out of order, he is 41.
‘Give him a break, out of order, you’re a bully, a bully.’
Pepe started Porto’s round of 16 Champions League clash against Arsenal at the Emirates
The 41-year-old is the fifth-oldest player to ever feature in the Champions League
A brash Keown dismissed Ferdinand’s complaints, hitting back: ‘I don’t care what age he is you have to get after him.’
Pepe previously shared a touching moment with the pair in Portugal after Porto’s 1-0 first-leg victory against Arsenal.
The former Real Madrid star celebrated his 41st birthday in February but will be hard-pushed to become the oldest player to ever compete in Europe’s top club competition.
Italian goalkeeper Marco Ballotta currently holds that record after featuring for Lazio against Real Madrid in 2007 aged 43 years 252 days.
