Graeme Souness ‘nearly crashed car’ after hearing Martin Keown’s take

Graeme Souness claims he nearly crashed his car after listening to Martin Keown’s comments about his former Liverpool side.

The former Scotland legend, couldn’t resist phoning into talkSPORT after hearing Keown criticise Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson’s defence during a broadcast back in 2021.

Keown was speaking about the impact of the back-pass rule and suggesting it had greatly improved the game because players like Hansen and Lawrenson would regularly waste time by passing back to goalkeeper Bruce Grobbelaar.

Despite being behind the wheel at the time, a furious Souness rang up to challenge Keown – nearly crashing his car, reports the Mirror.

The former Scotland midfielder starred alongside Hansen and Lawrenson in the Liverpool side that dominated English football during the 1980s.

He explained: “I nearly crashed my car, Martin, after what you said.

“I understand there have been improvements to the game, without a shadow of a doubt, but I totally disagree with you in terms of Alan Hansen and Mark Lawrenson.

“You could’ve picked any other partnership that was playing football at that time and called them out on what they would do by going back to the goalkeeper at every opportunity when put under pressure.

“But you’ve named the best two footballing centre-halves that arguably this country has ever seen!”

Keown, however, didn’t back down, and insisted the pair “could’ve attacked more”. Hitting back, he said: “They could’ve picked any pass they wanted, but they went back to the goalkeeper.”

But Souness refused to let up, and fumed on: “Martin, I played with them for about 300 games! I know how good they were. You couldn’t get the ball off them, they were midfield players in disguise, that’s how technically good they were.

“The last thing they would do is go back because every part of their training was geared to go forward. You made it sound, for somebody who’s not seen them play like they couldn’t play. That’s how it sounded.”

On Sunday afternoon Liverpool released a statement saying Hansen, 68, was “seriously ill” in hospital. Since the news dozens from the football world have sent their regards.

They wrote: “The club is currently in contact with Alan’s family to provide our support at this difficult time, and our thoughts, wishes and hopes are with Alan and all of the Hansen family.”

Hansen joined Liverpool in 1977 and had a trophy-laden 14-year spell at Anfield. There, he won eight First Division titles, two FA Cups, four League Cups and three European Cups.

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