Former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has revealed how he used to study the games of his old Arsenal rival Thierry Henry in order to improve - but was once prevented from challenging the Frenchman for the Premier League Golden Boot by Sir Alex Ferguson.
Van Nistelrooy and Henry are two of the most dangerous attacking players in modern English top-flight history, and they were both at the peak of their powers when representing their respective clubs between 2001 and 2006.
The rivalry was built on respect, however, Van Nistelrooy insists, and he says he was often left in awe by Henry's ability.
What was said?
Speaking to Rio Ferdinand on his former United team-mate's YouTube channel, Five, Van Nistelrooy said: "I admired him, I studied his game. Thierry, wow, he was doing stuff in the Premiership, oh my god. I wanted to compete with him to push myself."
The first season they both played in the Premier League was the 2001-02 campaign, with Henry winning the Golden Boot after scoring 24 goals as Arsenal became champions, with the title secured with a 1-0 victory at Old Trafford.
Van Nistelrooy, in his debut Premier League campaign, finished joint second on 23 goals, and could have overtaken Henry on the final day of the season - only for Ferguson to leave him out of the squad entirely.
Reflecting on being dropped, Van Nistelrooy said: "I was up there for the Golden Boot, first year I was challenging that, but in the last game of the season the gaffer left me out, he said: 'You're not winning the Golden Boot son, we didn't win the league.' Not even on the bench.
"The manager, he made me sharp in that moment, you cannot believe it. Goals, you need to connect it with titles."
What else did Van Nistelrooy say?
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The Manchester United and Arsenal rivalry of the period reached boiling point in 2003-04, when Van Nistelrooy hit the bar with a late penalty in a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford and was mobbed by mocking Gunners players, especially Martin Keown, who leaped bellowing in the Dutchman's face.
Van Nistelrooy did not react to Keown or any of the other Arsenal players at the time, and said he was so shocked at having missed the crucial penalty that he was not aware of what was going on around him.
Asked how he had dealt with that incident, Van Nistelrooy said: "I didn't. I wasn't aware of it. When I missed that penalty, it was the last kick of the game, a big game, and I didn't realise what was going on until I saw it on TV.
"I was aware of players coming towards me, pushing and this and that, but I was so gutted that I completely missed the point. If I'd realised I would have reacted and there would have been a massive row on the pitch, but I was completely locked down."
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