Keane admitted in his autobiography that he set out to injure Haaland with a tackle during a match against Manchester City in April 2001.

The revelation has led to an FA investigation and threats of legal action against Keane and United from Haaland and his club.

But Eamonn Dunphy insists he used 'artistic licence' and paraphrased Keane's opinions in the book, Keane - The Autobiography.

"We thought it would be a nice football book, that it would be no problem," Dunphy told The Observer newspaper.

"But there is the passage about Haaland. I am as much responsible for that, as a writer, rather than Roy.

"There is artistic licence. I should take the rap. But he won't let me. Fair play to him. No whingeing. No screaming. No 'I didn't say that; he made it up'.

"But I was paraphrasing. Still no whining. But we are talking about a man here."

Dunphy, however, has claimed the manuscript was read and approved by Keane and United boss Sir Alex Ferguson before its serialisation in two national newspapers.

The writer also suggested that Keane's vicious lunge on Haaland was no worse than Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard's tackle on Arsenal's Patrick Vieira in the Community Shield.

"What did Gerrard say? That he was trying to make an impression on the game," added Dunphy.

"That is the way the game is. And now they want to crucify Roy."