EXCLUSIVE: An Arsenal legend has admitted he need to apologise to every striker he played against as he reflected on an infamous Premier League clash
07:00, 29 Mar 2026
Arsenal legend Martin Keown speaks to the Daily Star
An Arsenal legend admits he's "probably had to apologise to every striker I played against" - including a Manchester United rival he confronted in an infamous clash.
Martin Keown played more than 400 times for the North London giants, lifting the Premier League three times along with three FA Cups and the European Cup Winners' Cup. He now works as a pundit and is regularly asked to cast his eye over the Gunners’ bid to land the club’s first league title since the Invincibles team in 2003/04, which he played in.
It was during that era that the 43-time England international found himself at the centre of one of the most brutal top-flight matches since the turn of the Millennium against United in September 2003, at the height of the rivalry between Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson's legendary teams.
Ruud van Nistelrooy - Martin Keown
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Martin Keown taunted and hit Van Nistelrooy(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
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Infamously named the ‘Battle of Old Trafford,’ the 0-0 draw is remembered for a brawl at full-time after Ruud van Nistelrooy missed a last-minute penalty to win United the game – a miss that would prove significant as Arsenal went on to finish the season unbeaten.
Van Nistelrooy had earlier left the visiting players furious for his part in Patrick Vieira being sent off for a second bookable offence. He jumped for the ball and landed on the Frenchman, who then kicked out at Van Nistelrooy and missed, but was still shown his marching orders, after the Dutchman's theatrical response.
The anger boiled over at full-time when Van Nistelrooy was subjected to shocking treatment by Arsenal players after missing his spot kick. Keown jumped up and struck the striker with his arms, Lauren shoved him from behind and Ray Parlour and Ashley Cole gave him verbal abuse.
Martin Keown jumps above Ruud Van Nistlerooy during the infamous Old Trafford clash
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Martin Keown jumps above Ruud Van Nistlerooy during the infamous Old Trafford clash(Image: Daily Mirror)
United players reacted to Van Nistelrooy’s treatment and retaliated against the Arsenal players, leading to a massive brawl and plenty of retrospective fines.
The Daily Star attended the HBO Max pop-up in Piccadilly Circus and exclusively asked Keown whether he had reconciled with Van Nistelrooy after all these years. He said: "Actually we did, about a year ago when he was manager of Leicester.
“We got together after all that time, about 20 years or so. I don’t think it was a problem for him, certainly wasn’t a problem for me!
Ruud van Nistelrooy and Martin Keown shaking hands and burying the hatchet
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Ruud van Nistelrooy and Martin Keown shaking hands and burying the hatchet(Image: TNT Sports)
“I kind of apologised, but I have probably had to apologise to every striker I played against because I was such an aggressive defender.
"So hopefully I’ve changed a little off the pitch – but they were good days.”
Asked if they had truly made up and were friends after all this time, Keown replied: “I’m pals with everybody now! I don’t fall out with anybody anymore. I’m a different animal off the pitch.”
Arsenal legend Martin Keown spoke to the Daily Star's Carly Hacon
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Arsenal legend Martin Keown spoke to the Daily Star's Carly Hacon(Image: Tim Merry)
The most brutal rivalry in Premier League history exploded again over a year later when United ended Arsenal’s 49-game unbeaten streak.
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Van Nistelrooy got his revenge by scoring from the spot after Wayne Rooney was controversially deemed to have been fouled.
The English teenager then wrapped up the 2-0 win, later billed as ‘Battle of the Buffet’ and ‘Pizzagate’ after tempers flared in the tunnel at full-time and Cesc Fabregas threw a pizza at Sir Alex Ferguson.
Van Nistelrooy was also retrospectively banned for a horror challenge on Cole, missed by referee Mike Riley.