Not for the first time in his Manchester United career, and probably not the last, Ruud van Nistelrooy’s sense of timing was impeccable.
Questioning the striker’s instincts was always a touch surreal, like taking Tiger Woods to task about his swing, but Van Nistelrooy’s two goals will have been of intense relief to the Dutch forward, not just because of the importance of the occasion but also because of who was in the stands.
If, as Sir Alex Ferguson suspects, Van Nistelrooy’s turbulent relationship with Dick Advocaat has contributed to the forward’s recent profligacy, it might not be long before Holland’s manager feels compelled to make a lasting peace with the most prolific United striker since Denis Law.
Just a few places along from Sven-Goran Eriksson sat Advocaat, among the guests, and along with 66 706 others he must have been exhilarated by Van Nistelrooy’s response to the allegation of a loss in form.
Ferguson will reflect that as a motivational ploy, questioning the player’s performance had the desired effect. Strong individuals can usually be relied on to use criticism to strengthen their resolve.
Remember how Terry Butcher, during his time as England captain, used as a bookmark a Sunday Times column that had denigrated his international credentials? ‘Whenever I read my book, it was like a constant reminder — I’m going to ram this right down your throat.â€
Van Nistelrooy, who now has 27 goals in 29 Champions League games (including qualifiers), is another ram-it-down-your-throat type of player. He will have been riled by the sudden focus on his ability. But everything he has shown during his two years at Old Trafford should have indicated that he would use it to galvanise rather than erode his self-belief.
On the other hand there is also the old adage that everyone needs the rub of the green. When Van Nistelrooy scored his first goal from open play in six games — the least productive spell of his time in England — it would not have been out of place if he had muttered a half-apology to the Rangers goalkeeper.
As it was, he was too busy expressing his gratitude to Diego Forlan, the Uruguayan’s shot having ricocheted off the bar and bounced fortuitously off Van Nistelrooy.
‘There’s nothing wrong with a scrappy goal,†said Ferguson. ‘I scored a few of them myself during my playing days and Denis Law lived off rebounds at this club for 10 years.â€
Ferguson also singled out Forlan for praise, promising that the striker would be rewarded for his fourth goal in as many games by retaining his place for Sunday’s trip to Liverpool.
It was not long, though, before the conversation turned back to the second-highest scorer (behind Raul Gonzalez) in Champions League annals. ‘The important thing is that it has got Van Nistelrooy going again,†Ferguson said. ‘Strikers live on confidence and Van Nistelrooy is no different. You could see the change in his game once he had scored. He was marvellous from then on.â€
Advocaat, brought up on the philosophy that conceding possession is a sin, will have been far more impressed with the striker’s second half.
He began it by slaloming through the defence, made it 3-0 with a decisive header from the first decent cross all night, courtesy of Ryan Giggs, and might have had a hat-trick with a couple of late attempts, most notably an exquisite chip that was tipped over.
Whether it will be enough to restore Van Nistelrooy to the Holland side for the Euro 2004 playoffs with Scotland depends on whether Advocaat is willing to forgive his reaction to being substituted against the Czech Republic.
The Rangers contingent will hope Advocaat bears grudges. —