Former Manchester United duo Gary Neville and Ruud van Nistelrooy have each lifted the lid on how they almost came to blows following a Premier League clash with Middlesbrough at the Riverside in the early 2000s.
Van Nistelrooy, who is currently in charge of Dutch heavyweights PSV Eindhoven, was struggling with a toe problem at the time and had to travel to the Riverside in flip flops. He could barely move once he had put his boots on before the game, meaning he failed to perform to his usual standards.
Despite being in a fair amount of discomfort, Van Nistelrooy attempted to play through the pain barrier, evidently struggling. However, that did not stop Neville, who was a passionate figure throughout his career, from giving the Dutchman a roasting after the full-time whistle.
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The former right-back was furious with the former Real Madrid man, so much so that Van Nistelrooy went to "punch" Neville after the game. Neville then recalled how Van Nistelrooy, after he had made his way back down the tunnel to the dressing room at full-time, was on a mission to continue the argument.
"Do you remember Middlesbrough away with me, you're the only player that's come to punch me at the end of a game," Neville recalled, speaking on The Overlap.
Van Nistelrooy replied: "Yes, you gave me a right b********g. I didn't do a lot in that game."
"I had the ball at right-back and needed that little movement," Neville recalled, reflecting on Van Nistelrooy's admission.
"And I didn't do it, but I had an inflamed big toe, honestly it was so red and swollen," Van Nistelrooy admitted. "I couldn't move, I was in flip flops travelling to Middlesbrough. It was Christmas or New Year, and I got into my boots before the game, I couldn't move."
Neville continued: "I put [a pass] in and shouted, 'F*****g move!' I remember shouting at you and you [Van Nistelrooy] went, 'F**k off, Gary!'"
"I just snapped, I completely lost it and I was storming in the dressing room and came up to you," Van Nistelrooy added.
Neville concluded: "I always remember I got substituted, went into the changing rooms at the end of the game and all of a sudden I could hear you shouting and coming through the door and you were saying, 'I’m going to f*****g kill...', I thought 'Ruud's snapped' and everyone jumped in between us."
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