Keane has made the critics eat their words with performances reminiscent of the days when he was being hailed as one of the world’s best midfielders.

In a 1-0 win at Liverpool three weeks ago, Keane overshadowed Reds captain Steven Gerrard; then off the pitch, he appeared to emerge with a psychological victory in last week’s war-of-words in the tunnel with Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira which prefaced another much-needed United triumph.

Keane topped that with his first goal for 15 months in his club’s 2-0 win over Birmingham, leaving his own manager Alex Ferguson and Blues boss Steve Bruce full of praise.

Keane will be unavailable because of a knee injury when the Republic take on Portugal tomorrow – and his club and international team-mate O’Shea is in no doubt he will be badly missed.

“Roy will tell you his performances have been no different at all over the last few months,” said O’Shea.

“But he has come up against people who are supposed to be playing better than him and he has put them in his pocket. He has been fantastic.”

O’Shea has been enjoying an attacking midfield role of late alongside Keane but is likely to be in his customary left-back position for Ireland at Lansdowne Road.

O’Shea is encouraged by his own club form even though he has not always been in the United side of late.

“I had been doing well, but then I got injured just after Christmas and lost my place,” he explained.

“But I have scored two goals in my last three matches and right now I am very happy at Manchester United and very happy to play anywhere.”

At left-back for Ireland, O’Shea is likely to have the responsibility for stopping his United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo tomorrow.

“He is fantastic and one to watch,” he said of Portugal’s flashy winger.

“But then they have a lot of talented players, not just Ronaldo – although I do know how special he is.”

Republic manager Brian Kerr has become embroiled, meanwhile, in a row with Ian Harte who claims he has been frozen out of the international picture.

Although sidelined as he recovers from a groin operation, Harte insists his attempts to contact Kerr to ascertain why he has not been involved since a summer move to Levante from Leeds have been in vain. Those are claims Kerr rejects.

“Ian Harte never counselled me before he went to Spain,” he said. “When he told me he was going I was delighted for him, because it was a good chance for him to play first-team football.

“As for him trying to contact me, any player who wants to speak to me knows they can ring me. I would be disappointed if I rang them and they did not ring me back.

“Ian Harte is injured at the moment and is therefore not under consideration. If he gets back into the Levante team and plays well then he may get back in (for Ireland).”