Manchester United’s rivalry with Arsenal was one of the fiercest in Premier League history.
A series of league meetings between the two sides during and after Arsenal’s Invincibles season in 2003/04 saw several well-documented flashpoints involving key players from both clubs.
14 years on from the start of that season, former United skipper Roy Keane and Arsenal’s all-time leading scorer Thierry Henry both appeared on Sky Sports in a show which helped mark 25 years of the Premier League. Inevitably, the pair soon found themselves discussing the fiery meetings between the two clubs.
Having already discussed the Highbury tunnel incident between Keane and Patrick Vieira (around the 40 minute mark in the video below), conversation eventually moved on to the reaction to Ruud van Nistelrooy’s missed penalty at Old Trafford in 2003.
The Dutchman had hit the underside of the crossbar with the stoppage time spot-kick and the game finished goalless. Arsenal players, who felt Van Nistelrooy had got Vieira sent off in the game, celebrated the final whistle by crowding round the United striker. Martin Keown, who appeared to strike the back of Van Nistelrooy’s head with his arm in the incident, was later given a three-match ban and ordered to pay a fine for his actions.
Describing the behaviour as “disgraceful”, Keane goes on to reject Henry’s claims that Van Nistelrooy had got Vieira sent off.
You can watch the discussion, which also features some input from Kenny Dalglish, in the video below.
https://youtu.be/DjBqCkO8wh8
