Martin Keown has revealed he does not regret his infamous celebration over Ruud van Nistelrooy as the former Manchester United striker takes his PSV Eindhoven side to face Arsenal.
The Dutchman hit the crossbar with a last-minute penalty as the Gunners held on to draw at Old Trafford in September 2003, a result that set them on their way to an unbeaten Premier League title-winning campaign.
Keown reacted to the miss, which came at the height of Arsenal and United’s rivalry, by goading Van Nistelrooy - earning a one-match ban and £20,000 fine for his troubles.
Almost 20 years on, the 56-year-old insists he holds “no malice” towards Van Nistelrooy but recalls his anger at the former striker for causing an injury in May 2002 before further incidents involving in the pair in subsequent games.
“When he surprisingly crashed his spot-kick against the crossbar, I couldn’t contain my emotions,” Keown told the Mail.
“It was a raw reaction in the middle of a match that had so much riding on it between two great Premier League rivals.
“I felt like justice had been served and so did my team-mates. Looking back, perhaps we could have toned down our reaction. But it happened in the heat of the moment and I don’t regret anything I did.”
