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LONDON. — The king of controversy, Roy Keane, has accused his old club Manchester United of lacking spine and being “a ­throwback to the 1980s.” And he insists the English Premiership league title is Chelsea’s to lose, as long as they stay focused. In typically robust Keane style he adds that Manchester City are still not good enough to challenge for the title – and Arsenal have too many vain players, more ­interested in their appearance than in winning matches.

Arsenal are not capable of winning the Premier League title this season because they have too many players interested in selfies and six-packs rather than winning football matches, according to Keane.

Keane, a fire and brimstone midfielder, won seven English Premier League titles as a player and enjoyed a particularly competitive relationship with Arsenal and their similarly combative captain Patrick Viera.

The current Ireland assistant manager, however, said he saw little in the current Gunners side to convince him that they are poised for a first league title since their Viera-led “Invincibles” team in 2004.

“Arsenal have some really good players – some good characters who roll their sleeves up,” Keane said.

“But they also have one or two players who are more interested in selfies and six-packs, guys who are trying to get their pictures taken every day of the week.

“Every year we hear the same thing about Arsenal being contenders. Instead of focusing on the Premier League, it’s all about how their bodies look, how their hair is, more so than winning football matches.”

Arsenal, under manager Arsene Wenger, have become one of the most dazzling attacking sides in Europe but a perceived lack of leadership has undermined their ability to make a sustained title challenge for a number of years.

Fully loaded up with verbal ­ammunition, the former Old Trafford firebrand Keane blasted Jose ­Mourinho’s potential rivals City as no-hopers, despite their massive transfer outlay in the last 18 months.

And his old club United were the first to get both barrels, with the Irishman claiming they had lost their way. “United have gone away from what they were about,” he said, dismissively.

“They are a bit like the late 80s, buying a lot of players, thinking they will gel.

“But it doesn’t happen that quickly, although they will definitely be stronger this year.

“Louis van Gaal has had a full pre-season this year, they’ve looked good -from what I’ve seen – but then they had a good pre-season last year, too.” — The Mirror.