As a Manchester United player, Roy Keane’s rivalry with Arsenal simmered, smouldered and often erupted into a bubbling inferno of pure rage.

Ten years since he last engaged on a war footing with the Gunners, in the 2005 FA Cup final, Keane’s dislike for the Londoners continues to burn deep.

Asked by The Mail on Sunday about Arsenal’s Premier League prospects for the new season, which kicks off next Saturday, the Irish assistant manager issued a withering put down.

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Former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane has played down Arsenal's chances of winning the league

Keane believes Arsenal are too interested in selfies and six-packs to mount a serious title challenge

Arsenal players posted selfies regularly on social media last season including against Manchester City

‘There’s too many Arsenal players interested in selfies and six-packs,’ said a scornful Keane.

‘Instead of focusing on winning Premier League titles, it’s all about how their bodies look, how their hair is, more so than winning football matches.’

‘They’ve lots of good players, good characters who roll their sleeves up, just not those who are trying to get their pictures [taken] every day of the week, selfies. Selfies will hold them back’ added the former United firebrand. Ouch.

Arsenal players posted selfies regularly on social media last season, notably from their dressing room after beating Manchester City 2-0 at the Etihaad in January, and again in May following their FA Cup final win over Aston Villa.

Such self-promotion wasn’t Keane’s way of doing business as a player, and partially explains why he is overlooking them as title contenders – Arsenal last won the league in 2004.

‘We hear the same thing with Arsenal ever year,’ he shrugged.

The seven-time Premier League winner is convinced that selflessness, not selfies, is required for the heat of Premier League battle and feels Chelsea, once again, are the team which will set the highest standard.

Keane believes Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho still has the best spine to challenge for the title this season

‘I still think Chelsea are the team to beat; they have the strongest spine. I think they’re after the boy [John] Stones, and if they add him, they’ll be stronger.’

Is that all down to Jose Mourinho’s canny management?

‘Nah,’ said Keane, ‘he’s good bloody good players. It looks like he’s got a good spine to the team, John Terry, their goalkeeper, the couple of lads in the middle of the park, like (Eden) Hazard.

‘If (Diego) Costa can stay fit - every game he approaches he seems to be a fitness doubt which is annoying – there’s [Radamel] Falcao in the background.

Keane feels Chelsea will go well but knows striker Diego Costa will need to stay fit throughout the season

‘If Chelsea have their wits about them, stay hungry, and show the same desire they showed last year, they’ll win the League,’ he stated.

Keane’s believes United will be more competitive than last season when a disjointed start left them too far adrift of Chelsea.

‘I think they’ll do well. I think they’ve bought some good players, but good players don’t necessarily make a good team,’ he cautioned.

‘United will no doubt be better next year, they’ll need to be stronger out of the blocks, but if I was a betting man, which I’m not, I’d still go with Chelsea.’

Keane is unsure if Louis Van Gaal’s spending spree will yield the desired effect and believes the club has shelved its policy of developing from within

Keane is wary that quality additions at United do not necessarily make a good team following summer signings

‘United bought so many good players this year and last year, but it’s hard to gel so quickly,’ noted Keane.

‘United have gone away from what they were about; they are a bit like the late 80s, buying a lot of players thinking they will gel, but it doesn’t happen that quickly as much as they’ll definitely be stronger this year.

‘Van Gaal’s had a full pre-season and they’ve looked good from what I saw of them pre-season, but they had a good pre-season last year too.

‘I don’t think the spine of United is as strong as Chelsea’s. I still think they need a centre half maybe.

‘I don’t think United have enough about them; Liverpool certainly haven’t,’ he added with a wee dig at the under-achieving Anfield club.

What then of Manchester City, twice champions and twice runners-up in the past four seasons?

Keane does not feel the arrival of Fabian Delph has done anything to improve the Manchester City squad

In reply, Keane appeared to aim a barb at new midfield signing Fabian Delph, whom he knows from his time at Aston Villa last season.

‘City bought one or two but I don’t think City’s dressing room is improved by the players they brought in,’ he said.

‘Look at all the players they’ve bought; I’m not sure many would get into the Chelsea team anyhow,’ he observed.

Keane was reluctant to compare the current Chelsea side with the United team he played for in his prime. ‘Both teams have different characters, different dynamics,’ he said.