You can take Ruud van Nistelrooy out of Manchester United, but you can’t take Manchester United out of Ruud van Nistelrooy.
Jose Mourinho would have called it ‘Football Heritage’ last night as the former Red Devils striker ended another Arsenal unbeaten run.
Van Nistelrooy is now PSV Eindhoven manager and led the Dutch side to a 2-0 victory against the Gunners in the Europa League.
This was the first match Arsenal had lost in nine games… since a defeat to Manchester United in early September.
Ruud van Nistelrooy does it again
Ruud van Nistelrooy famously scored the penalty to end Arsenal’s 49-game Premier League unbeaten run in 2004.
Wayne Rooney later scored a second to double the lead in the infamous win, which preceded ‘pizza gate’ in the Old Trafford tunnel.
The Gunners were never really the same afterwards, and while Van Nistelrooy left for Real Madrid 18 months later, Manchester United later went on to win three successive Premier League titles between 2007 and 2009, while Arsenal have not won any since the match.
Last night his PSV side came out on top thanks to goals from Joey Veerman and Luuk de Jong.
There was no wild knee slide and cry to the heavens in joy from Van Nistelrooy when the goals went in, he remained calm on the touchline, keeping his composure.
In a recent interview he insisted his battles with Manchester United and Arsenal feel like a lifetime ago, and joked he expected a ‘warm welcome’ at The Emirates with PSV, speaking to The Mirror.
Last night in the Netherlands he showed old habits die hard, ending another Arsenal unbeaten streak.
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