Martin Keown and Ruud van Nistelrooy came face-to-face on Saturday when the former Arsenal defender apologised to the Manchester United legend for their infamous clash in 2003
16:23, 15 Feb 2025
Ruud van Nistelrooy and Martin Keown shake hands
Former bitter rivals Ruud van Nistelrooy and Martin Keown shake hands(Image: TNT Sports)
Martin Keown extended an olive branch to Ruud van Nistelrooy on Saturday offering an apology for their infamous altercation at Old Trafford back in 2003.
The former Arsenal defender was at the King Power Stadium as a pundit for TNT Sports during Leicester's match against Arsenal, where the Gunners secured a 2-0 victory. Before the game, Keown had a chance to speak with Leicester manager and Manchester United legend Van Nistelrooy over their infamous bust-up.
Their history is well-documented, stemming from the 'Battle of Old Trafford', a heated Premier League clash between United and Arsenal that epitomised the intense rivalry of the era under Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.
The match ended goalless, but not without controversy, as Van Nistelrooy's missed penalty led to a confrontation with several Arsenal players at the final whistle. Keown was notably aggressive, jumping up and barging into Van Nistelrooy, which resulted in a scuffle involving both teams.The incident led to charges from the Football Association and has since become a notorious moment in football history, which the pair finally addressed live on TV some 22 years later, reports the Mirror.
Arsenal legend Martin Keown taunts Manchester United icon Ruud Van Nistelrooy after he missed a penalty
Arsenal legend Martin Keown taunts Manchester United icon Ruud Van Nistelrooy after he missed a penalty(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Upon meeting again, Van Nistelrooy greeted Keown with a warm "Martin are you OK? Good to see you," to which Keown replied, "Nice to see you."Reminiscing about their past encounters, Van Nistelrooy mentioned, "It's been a while eh? I have seen you once at Villa Park, you remember?"
Keown acknowledged the memory and expressed his regret, saying, "Yes. Apologies for all of the shenanigans that went on back in the day."
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Van Nistelrooy casually dismissed the 2003 clash, before both he and Keown reminisced about their "good rivalry" with a friendly exchange of past tactics from their notorious feud."Eh, what happens on the pitch stays on the pitch," Van Nistelrooy declared. "I am happy that I have him in front of me, not at the back of me you know. It was a good rivalry, wasn't it? ".Keown concurred: "Great days, great days. I am glad you are standing there and not next to me because you used to love stamping on me."Van Nistelrooy confessed: "I would like to block you out as well and then fall over."