Snooker star Neil Robertson revealed his nerves of playing in front of Manchester United icon Roy Keane as he returned to the World Championship.

Keane, 52, is an avid snooker fan and he was spotted at the Crucible during Friday's evening session. The Irishman is a regular at the Sheffield venue, but his sighting might have brought back some bad memories for Robertson.

Remembering a game in 2017, the Aussie recalled on BBC Sport: "Around 2016 (sic) he was watching my match with Marco Fu. I remember coming down and glancing to my right and I was like 'Oh my goodness, that looks like Roy Keane. Is that Roy Keane?'

"Because he had this great big beard at the time. It was a bit of a disguise. I remember walking round the table and I'd see him and he'd be looking at me, looking at the table and I'd be so nervous.

"I was more nervous than playing the match itself - the fact I was in his presence. We don't have that [set-up] anymore but it was fantastic to see and I definitely got my picture with him."

Robertson was recalling his second round match at the 2017 World Snooker Championship with Fu. Alongside the nervousness, it might not be a pleasant memory for the 2010 champion, who was dumped out 13-11 to the Hongkonger.

Keane himself is more than just a snooker spectator, and he was famously convinced to swap Nottingham Forest for United over a game with Sir Alex Ferguson.

Fergie heard Keane was in talks with Blackburn Rovers, so the legendary Red Devils boss challenged the Irishman to a game. "From that moment, I was never going to sign for any other club," he later recalled in his autobiography.