{"id":793,"date":"2026-03-30T21:47:51","date_gmt":"2026-03-30T21:47:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/?p=793"},"modified":"2026-03-30T21:47:51","modified_gmt":"2026-03-30T21:47:51","slug":"arsenal-icon-apologises-to-every-striker-i-played-against-after-infamous-man-utd-fight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/?p=793","title":{"rendered":"Arsenal icon apologises &#8216;to every striker I played against&#8217; after infamous Man Utd fight"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> <br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<h2 class=\"LeadText_lead-text__wd_PA __className_3bc70f\" data-testid=\"leadtext\">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<\/h2>\n<div data-testid=\"commercial-video-box\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"primis\" data-tmdatatrack-index=\"1\" data-tmdatatrack-id=\"primis\" class=\"sc-9299d609-0 fMA-dHN\">\n<div class=\"sc-a0234a37-0 deyxoi\">\n<section>\n<div class=\"PrimisPlayer_primis-container-lead__uRu_T\" data-testid=\"primis-player-lead\"><span class=\"PrimisPlayer_headline__EYzoH\">Arsenal legend Martin Keown speaks to the Daily Star<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">An Arsenal legend admits he&#8217;s &#8220;probably had to apologise to every striker I played against&#8221; &#8211; including a Manchester United rival he confronted in an infamous clash.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">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&#8217; Cup. He now works as a pundit and is regularly asked to cast his eye over the Gunners\u2019 bid to land the club\u2019s first league title since the Invincibles team in 2003\/04, which he played in.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">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&#8217;s legendary teams.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-34010581\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"34010581\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.4\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Ruud van Nistelrooy - Martin Keown\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article34010581.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_Arsenals-Martin-Keown-taunts-Manchester.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article34010581.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/1_Arsenals-Martin-Keown-taunts-Manchester.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article34010581.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/1_Arsenals-Martin-Keown-taunts-Manchester.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article34010581.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/1_Arsenals-Martin-Keown-taunts-Manchester.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Martin Keown taunted and hit Van Nistelrooy\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Martin Keown taunted and hit Van Nistelrooy<cite aria-label=\"Image: AFP via Getty Images\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: AFP via Getty Images)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\"><strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\">JOIN US ON FB!<\/strong><a aria-label=\" Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook pageLink opens in a new tab.\" class=\"TextLink_text-link__dBSS0 TextLink_enabled__dJF3l\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/thedailystarsport#\" rel=\"nofollow\" tabindex=\"0\" target=\"_blank\">  Get all the best sports news and much more on our Facebook page<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Infamously named the \u2018Battle of Old Trafford,\u2019 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 \u2013 a miss that would prove significant as Arsenal went on to finish the season unbeaten.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">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&#8217;s theatrical response.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">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.<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-20317745\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"20317745\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.37\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Martin Keown jumps above Ruud Van Nistlerooy during the infamous Old Trafford clash\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article20317745.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/3_Manchester-United-v-Arsenal-Old-Trafford-Premiership.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article20317745.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/3_Manchester-United-v-Arsenal-Old-Trafford-Premiership.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article20317745.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/3_Manchester-United-v-Arsenal-Old-Trafford-Premiership.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article20317745.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/3_Manchester-United-v-Arsenal-Old-Trafford-Premiership.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Martin Keown jumps above Ruud Van Nistlerooy during the infamous Old Trafford clash\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Martin Keown jumps above Ruud Van Nistlerooy during the infamous Old Trafford clash<cite aria-label=\"Image: Daily Mirror\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Daily Mirror)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">United players reacted to Van Nistelrooy\u2019s treatment and retaliated against the Arsenal players, leading to a massive brawl and plenty of retrospective fines.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The <strong class=\"Strong_strong__e2x35\"><em>Daily Star<\/em> <\/strong>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: &#8220;Actually we did, about a year ago when he was manager of Leicester.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cWe got together after all that time, about 20 years or so. I don\u2019t think it was a problem for him, certainly wasn\u2019t a problem for me!<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-34685857\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"34685857\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.66\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Ruud van Nistelrooy and Martin Keown shaking hands and burying the hatchet\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article34685857.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_KeownRVN.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article34685857.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/0_KeownRVN.png 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article34685857.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/0_KeownRVN.png 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article34685857.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/0_KeownRVN.png 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Ruud van Nistelrooy and Martin Keown shaking hands and burying the hatchet\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Ruud van Nistelrooy and Martin Keown shaking hands and burying the hatchet<cite aria-label=\"Image: TNT Sports\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: TNT Sports)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">\u201cI kind of apologised, but I have probably had to apologise to every striker I played against because I was such an aggressive defender.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">&#8220;So hopefully I\u2019ve changed a little off the pitch \u2013 but they were good days.\u201d<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Asked if they had truly made up and were friends after all this time, Keown replied: \u201cI\u2019m pals with everybody now! I don\u2019t fall out with anybody anymore. I\u2019m a different animal off the pitch.\u201d<\/p>\n<div data-testid=\"image-group\"><button class=\"SlideViewerButton_slide-viewer-button__BDJoG\" aria-label=\"Open image viewer\" aria-haspopup=\"dialog\" aria-controls=\"image-lightbox\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-embed__0T8WX false\" data-testid=\"imageembed-36924026\" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-articleid=\"36924026\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"image\">\n<div class=\"ImageEmbed_image-container__2AIQm\">\n<figure class=\"Figure_figure__Uce4f\" style=\"--figure-aspect-ratio:1.51\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Arsenal legend Martin Keown spoke to the Daily Star's Carly Hacon\" loading=\"lazy\" sizes=\"(max-width: 458px) 458px, (max-width: 615px) 615px, 1200px\" src=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article36924026.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/2_TM260324HBO14.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article36924026.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s458b\/2_TM260324HBO14.jpg 458w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article36924026.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s615b\/2_TM260324HBO14.jpg 615w, https:\/\/i2-prod.dailystar.co.uk\/article36924026.ece\/ALTERNATES\/s1200e\/2_TM260324HBO14.jpg 1200w\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"ImageCaption_caption__j7HRu\" data-testid=\"image-caption\">\n<p aria-label=\"Arsenal legend Martin Keown spoke to the Daily Star's Carly Hacon\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-title__ccyQU\" data-testid=\"caption-title\">Arsenal legend Martin Keown spoke to the Daily Star&#8217;s Carly Hacon<cite aria-label=\"Image: Tim Merry\" class=\"ImageCaption_caption-credit__wlx1W\" data-testid=\"caption-credit\">(Image: Tim Merry)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<p><\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The most brutal rivalry in Premier League history exploded again over a year later when United ended Arsenal\u2019s 49-game unbeaten streak.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Van Nistelrooy got his revenge by scoring from the spot after Wayne Rooney was controversially deemed to have been fouled.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">The English teenager then wrapped up the 2-0 win, later billed as \u2018Battle of the Buffet\u2019 and \u2018Pizzagate\u2019 after tempers flared in the tunnel at full-time and Cesc Fabregas threw a pizza at Sir Alex Ferguson.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Paragraph_paragraph-text__PVKlh \" data-tmdatatrack=\"content-unit\" data-tmdatatrack-type=\"paragraph\">Van Nistelrooy was also retrospectively banned for a horror challenge on Cole, missed by referee Mike Riley.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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 Arsenal legend Martin Keown speaks to the Daily Star An Arsenal legend admits he&#8217;s &#8220;probably had to apologise to every striker I played against&#8221; &#8211; including a Manchester United rival [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":794,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-793","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arsenal"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/793","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=793"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/793\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/794"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=793"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=793"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportings.com.ng\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=793"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}