Roy Keane took to the stand at Highbury Corner Magistrates' Court on Wednesday to speak about allegedly being headbutted by a football fan at last year's Premier League clash between Arsenal and Manchester United.
Sky Sports pundit Keane was allegedly assaulted at the Emirates last September, in an incident which first came to public attention on social media shortly after the game.
43-year-old Scott Law stands accused of headbutting the Irishman in the closing stages of the Premier League game between Arsenal and United in North London, and is charged with common assault.
Speaking to the court today, Keane said that the incident left him in "shock" and detailed how fellow pundit Micah Richards had stepped in to hold Law off him.
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Roy Keane was left in "shock" by headbutt incident
Keane - who gave his profession as "pundit, allegedly" - spoke to the court in London today and detailed what had happened in the final minutes of the game.
He said:
There was lots of noise and shouting as you would expect at a football match. I was just walking and before you knew it, I was hit. I felt the contact and fell back through some doors.
I was absolutely not expecting it.
The only way I can describe it is that I was in shock. I didn't expect it to happen, not when I was in my workplace.
Micah then gets hold of someone. He was just trying to get a grip of him and make sure he didn't run off. I was saying, 'Call the police.'
For about 15 or 20 seconds, Micah was holding him up against a wall [to stop] him getting away.
Law then fled, though he was arrested by police the following day.
Having begun their matchday coverage pitchside, Keane and Richards had moved to a glass studio in the stands of the Emirates, where they remained for most of the game.
Entering the final stages, the game was poised at 1-1, and Manchester United thought they had a last-minute winner through Alejandro Garnacho, before the goal was disallowed for offside.
It is during the VAR review for this goal (which former United player Keane was celebrating) that prosecutor Simon Jones accused Law of first making an obscene gesture towards Keane through the window of the Sky studio.
Shortly after this incident, Keane and Richards began to make their way pitchside for their post-match analysis.
During their journey, they encountered Law in person, and he is alleged to have delivered a "forceful headbutt" to Keane's chest.
Arsenal ultimately won the game 3-1 with two injury-time goals. Keane joked in court on Wednesday, "We missed the final two goals but that was the least of my worries."
Roy Keane sustained bruising to his arms and chest in the alleged assault. He and Richards would complete their punditry duties pitchside post-match alongside Theo Walcott. Keane would not appear on Sky Sports again until the Manchester derby at Old Trafford almost two months later.
Mr Jones of the prosecution said today, "There was simply no justification for the defendant's violence. We say he was clearly the aggressor."
The trial continues in London.
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