Keane: 'Cover-ups' (StuForster/Allsport)

United face their London rivals at Old Trafford tonight knowing that a draw would seal the Double for Arsenal and leave the reigning champions without silverware this season.

Following Sir Alex Ferguson's vitriolic defence of £28million Argentinian Juan Sebastian Veron, Keane revealed his own theories on a season which could see the Red Devils without silverware for the first time since 1998.

Keane said: 'There's a lot of cover-ups here sometimes. Players need to stand up and be counted. I'm not sure that happens a lot at this club. We are not asking the players to perform miracles, we're asking them to do what they should be doing.

'When players don't do that it's bloody frustrating. If we end up with no trophies, there's something wrong.'

United's season has collapsed in the last week as Arsenal have continued their relentless pursuit of the Premiership title and a limp performance in Germany saw Sir Alex Ferguson's team crash out of the Champions League against Bayer Leverkusen.

Ferguson has been quick to defend midfielder Veron but Keane made it clear last night that nobody should be allowed to escape the blame.

He added: 'Some people will try and defend people but the table doesn't lie. We should be winning European Cups, but good players don't necessarily make good teams. We've not done the business, simple as that.

'We have lost eight games in the League. I don't care about Arsenal. All I care about is United. We don't want to see anybody celebrating here, no matter who it is.'

Keane is no stranger to such outbursts. After last season's Champions League exit at Bayern Munich he called for Ferguson to rebuild his squad and he has felt the pain of relative failure equally severely this season.

Any thoughts that Keane might try to protect his troublesome knee tonight because of the imminent World Cup were quickly dispelled by Ireland manager Mick McCarthy yesterday.

McCarthy was adamant that Keane will play to capacity. He said: 'I would expect any of my players who are in Roy's situation to tear through the opposition. Obviously, I don't want to see anyone injured but I expect my players to give everything when they play for me and for their clubs.

'I wouldn't have it any other way. This is a committed bunch of players and Roy is up there at the top in that category.

'If a player gets injured and misses the World Cup that is a shattering experience for them and they deserve our sympathy, but there is no point worrying about what might happen.'

Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger says the absence of his leading scorer Thierry Henry, who should recover from his slight knee problem to face Everton on Saturday, will not make any difference tonight.

'This team will give every last drop of blood to win,' said Wenger. 'My players are winners. They have been frustrated by finishing second.

'In an ideal world you want everybody fit but the past season, more than any other, has been a season for the squad. Every time we have faced a problem we have overcome it together.