Richard Keys accuses Jamie Redknapp of a 'conflict of interests' after Sky pundit 'didn't want to make much of the incident' between James Maddison and Ryan Yates due to his off-field relationship with Tottenham talisman

Richard Keys has hit out at his former broadcast colleague Jamie Redknapp's for refusing to criticise James Maddison after clashing with Nottingham Forest's Ryan Yates. 

The Tottenham midfielder was at the centre of a major talking point following Sunday's future when he appeared to punch Yates in the stomach during Spurs' 3-1 win over Forest. 

Maddison received no punishment from the referee and the VAR review deemed it not worthy of a red card offence, however, after the game there were questions over whether the 27-year-old should have stayed on the pitch. 

Redknapp was part of the Sky Sports team covering the game, but in his post match analysis, failed to condemn the Tottenham star, leading to Richard Keys to question if the former midfielder had a 'conflict of interest' down to Maddison being spotted wearing items from Redknapp's clothing line. 

Keys, who currently works for beIN SPORTS in Qatar, targeted Redknapp in the latest instalment of his blog when summing up the weekend's action. 

'Palace should've had a pen v City,' Keys  began. 

'And was everybody in the bunker asleep when Maddison punched Ryan Yates off the ball at Spurs? It's not so bad that Simon Hooper missed it – but it was as clear as day for VAR. Maddison should've been sent-off.

'I'm told Jamie Redknapp didn't want to make much of the incident on Sky. I wonder if that has anything to do with the fact that Maddison models for Redknapp's clothing company? If that's not a conflict of interest I don't know what is.' 

Maddison and Redknapp appear to have built a relationship off the pitch, and while there seems to be no direct deal between the pundit and the England star, Maddison has been seen wearing items from 'Sandbanks', Redknapp's luxury sports range. 

The pair have also been sent together on screen, with Maddison a guest on Sky's A League of Their Own as part of Redknapp's team as well as appearing on Redknapp’s Home Fixture in May 2020. 

Keys and Redknapp were colleagues at Sky, until the Keys' controversial departure from the station in 2011. 

Both he and Andy Gray - who now partners him on beIN SPORTS - departed Sky after they were caught on camera making derogatory comments about women. One of which involved Keys mentioning Redknapp's name. 

The 66-year-old has always maintained he left of his own accord and was not sacked and is said to have always held a annoyance that Redknapp remained and kept his reputation intact. 

Maddison was part of the Spurs team that leap-frogged Aston Villa and moved into fourth place in the Premier League following their victory at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. 

A Murillo own goal and then strikes from Micky van der Ven and Pedro Porro saw off Chris Wood's equaliser to see Ange Postecoglou's side go ahead of Villa on goal difference, having played a game more.