Ruud van Nistelrooy joked that Arsenal fans should give him a “warm welcome” at Emirates Stadium – for helping the unbeaten 2003-04 ‘Invincibles’ create history.
The PSV Eindhoven coach returns to Arsenal on Thursday when his side face the Gunners in the Europa League.
As a player, Van Nistelrooy scored an impressive 150 goals in five seasons at Manchester United from 2001.
Yet arguably, it is a miss he is most famous for.
His last minute spot-kick failure against Arsenal in a 0-0 Premier League draw at Old Trafford in September 2003 was followed by an over-the-top reaction from Gunners defender Martin Keown, who was one of five players sanctioned for the melee that followed.
Keown, who celebrated the miss in Van Nistelrooy’s face, was banned for three games and given a £20,000 fine by the Football Association.
The miss, in the sixth game of the season, allowed them to reach the end of the campaign as the only side to finish a 38-game top-flight season without a single defeat.
“I expect a warm welcome,” he said. “I kept them invincible because of my miss.”
In reality, Van Nistelrooy knows it will not happen when his PSV Eindhoven side take on Arsenal in their rearranged Europa League Group A match.
But the likely abuse doesn’t bother him. It is part of a playing history he happily embraces, even if that particular episode hurt at the time.
He says that match and the ‘Pizzagate’ October 2004 league meeting at Old Trafford, when United ended Arsenal’s unbeaten league run at 49 games, are the two he is most remembered for in England.
“I didn’t react to what happened after the miss because of the incredible disappointment I felt at not bringing the win for my club,” he said.
“The pressure was intense for both teams because you are competing for the Premier League and it’s possible it will be decided in those games.
“It’s 20 years ago now. It doesn’t define me but coming back to England and to Arsenal, memories come back of my time there and those two infamous games are part of it.
“Years later, it is great to look back and have a laugh. But I always think my time in England was five years not two games. I was able to win fantastic titles with United. Those two games were part of a very famous period working under Sir Alex [Ferguson] and playing with so many fantastic players.
“I don’t think I will get a good reception but that is good. It is part of the banter in football stadiums.”
‘Exceptional’ Gapko
Van Nistelrooy is doing well in his first season as PSV coach.
The club are a point behind leaders and old rivals Ajax in Eredivisie and after the disappointment of defeat by Rangers in the Champions League play-offs, have secured seven points from their opening three Europa League games and know a positive result from their two meetings with Arsenal over the next week should see them into February’s play-offs.
Whether Cody Gakpo is still with them at that point remains to be seen.
The 23-year-old winger has been linked with numerous Premier League clubs, including Manchester United and Tottenham, while Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta refused to talk about the Gunners’ interest in the Dutch international.
“It’s not only Premier League clubs after him,” said Van Nistelrooy.
“His quality and form over the last three or four months has been exceptional. His stats and goals draw the attention of big clubs in European football.
“He is 23 and is focusing on his career with us at club level and having a great World Cup. He wants to continue that.
“When the time comes he will make decisions.”
