Martin Keown may be a soft-spoken pundit nowadays, but the former Arsenal man was a feisty, no-nonsense defender back in his playing days.
The imperious centre-back made over 400 appearances for the Gunners between 1993 and 2004, winning three Premier League titles and three FA Cups in the process.
Developing a reputation for being something of a brute who wasn’t afraid of conflict on the pitch, Keown has become immortalised in Arsenal’s hall of fame for one specific action he made during a game.
In the ‘Battle of Old Trafford’ at Old Trafford in 2003, the Englishman hit Ruud van Nistelrooy on the back of the head after the Manchester United striker missed a penalty.
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Freddie Ljungberg says he would never have apologised for what Martin Keown did in Manchester United v Arsenal
Arsenal and Manchester United developed a heated rivalry in the late 1990s, which extended well into the 2000s.
With the Gunners heading to the north-west to take on Sir Alex Ferguson’s side in an early-season title-defining fixture in 2003, there were bound to be fireworks.
The game was poised at 0-0 when United were awarded a controversial late penalty.
Up stepped Van Nistelrooy, who crashed his effort from 12 yards against the bar, with the match eventually ending goaless.
Keown rushed up to the Dutchman and taunted him for the miss, and the Arsenal man was subsequently fined £20,000 for his behaviour.
Last month, Keown apologised to Van Nistelrooy live on TNT Sports’ broadcast of Leicester City’s game against the Gunners.
Freddie Ljungberg, who also played in the ‘Battle of Old Trafford’, spoke to Keown about the historic game on TNT Sports’ YouTube channel.
“I’ve seen some of your interviews afterwards when you had a bit of a thing there and you apologised,” Ljungberg said.
“I would never have apologised for what happened.”
“Did I apologise?” asked Keown.
“Yeah, I saw you with Van Nistelrooy, you apologised a bit. I was like hmmm, you don’t have to apologise,” the Swede responded.
Keown replied: “I was thinking that I’d let some of the guys down a little bit, being a senior player, taking you into that.”
“I can say now, you didn’t. You didn’t let us down at all, you were a leader.”
Freddie Ljungberg on Arsenal’s rivalry with Manchester United
Just three months prior to apologising to the now Leicester manager, Keown labelled Van Nistelrooy a ‘nasty individual’.
This is emblematic of a deep-rooted hatred that existed between the two sides when they were at their respective peaks under Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.
Speaking on the rivalry at the time, Ljungberg said: “They were big rivals and to be honest, we can be honest, they kicked us quite a lot.
“I felt, and can say on TV, we were a better football team, but they had a great team morale and they had togetherness, and they did anything to win.
“So there was a clash a little bit, I felt.
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