I was Leicester’s scourge for Manchester United – now I’m looking to be Red Devils’ nightmare
Ruud van Nistelrooy once delivered a devastating hat-trick that sank Leicester, but time has seen him switch allegiances.
The hat-trick in question sealed the Foxes’ fate in a 4-1 defeat at the Walkers Stadium, now known as the King Power, back in 2003.
Roy Keane first opened the scoring for United, but it was Van Nistelrooy who took centre stage, netting two more before the halftime whistle blew.
In the second half, he added another to his tally, completely running riot for United and leaving Leicester’s defenders trailing in his wake.
His remarkable journey at Old Trafford began after a pivotal nudge from Sir Alex Ferguson’s son, who recognised Van Nistelrooy’s talent and urged his father to make the signing.
According to a 2001 interview with The Daily Telegraph, Ferguson said that his son, Darren, who was at tryouts for Eredivisie rival Heerenveen at the time, told him: “You’ve got to sign Van Nistelrooy right away, he’s fantastic. We’ve been watching him.”
Ferguson wasted no time, dispatching club representatives to PSV’s next league fixture and securing Van Nistelrooy within a day.
During his time as a player at United, he made 291 appearances and scored 150 goals in total, a true goal-scoring machine.
He claimed the Premier League Golden Boot twice, along with the Premier League title in the 2002-03 season, the FA Cup, the Football League Cup, and the FA Community Shield.
Despite his talent in front of goal, his journey wasn’t without its challenges. A falling out with manager Sir Alex Ferguson led to his departure in 2006.
