Arsenal icon Martin Keown has re-united with old foe, Manchester United hero Ruud van Nistelrooy, with both at the King Power Stadium on Saturday lunchtime.
Keown was (in) famously seen shouting in the Dutchman's face moments after the former United striker missed a penalty during a 0-0 draw between Arsenal and United in September 2003. The incident was among several tense exchanges between them - and several other United and Arsenal players - during that period.
Both teams dominated the English top-flight for almost a decade, with no other side winning the Premier League title between 1996 and 2004. United beat Arsenal with a dramatic late winner from Ryan Giggs in the FA Cup semi-finals on the way to winning their famous treble in 1999.
The Gunners, meanwhile, went on to achieve a historic invincible league season in 2004, something which would not have been achieved if Van Nistelrooy had slotted away his stoppage-time penalty at Old Trafford in 2003. And Van Nistelrooy - now manager at Leicester City - and Keown, working as a television pundit, have re-united on the set of a TNT Sports TV studio at the King Power Stadium.
Arsenal were 2-0 winners there on Saturday lunchtime. Mikel Merino scored both goals.
"Apologies for all the shenanigans that went on back in the day," Keown said while shaking Van Nistelrooy's hand. "What happened on the pitch stays on the pitch," replied the former Reds frontman. "I'm happy to have you on the front of me and not on the back of me. Great rivalries, weren't they?"
Keown then answered: "Great days. I'm glad you're standing there and not next to me because you loved to stamp on me before." Van Nistelrooy then said: "I would like to block you out as well - and then fall over."
Join the football.london Arsenal WhatsApp channel
Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
Join our Arsenal WhatsApp channel and get all the latest breaking news, opinion, podcasts and in-depth stories from football.london's dedicated Arsenal writers straight to your phone!
By following this free service you will be the first to know the news from the Emirates Stadium as it happens, when it happens.
To join our dedicated Arsenal channel, all you have to do is click this link and you can join thousands of others following our Gunners coverage!
If you're curious, you can check out our privacy policy here.