Happy Ruud back on goal trail

RUUD van Nistelrooy hit the Premiership goal trail for the first time in three months at Old Trafford – then repeated his mantra that he is staying with Manchester United.

The Dutchman seized on Carlo Cudicini’s late blunder to net his 27th goal of a difficult season, scarred by injury, intense speculation about his future and three misses from the penalty spot, and earn United a 1-1 draw with Chelsea.

Though the strike was not enough to prevent the Red Devils being dumped into August’s Champions League qualifiers, it did allow the 27-year-old to emphasise his willingness to stay with the club who paid stg£18.5 million to PSV Eindhoven for his services just three years ago.

“At the same time next season I will be here talking about another Premiership season because I am going nowhere,” said the striker, whose previous denials have done little to quash rumours of a big money move to Real Madrid.

“This result means we have finished third, which is not what we hoped for but we are confident we can improve next season.”

It looked like being another bleak day for van Nistelrooy when Cudicini saved his 41st minute spot-kick, bringing up an unhappy Old Trafford hat-trick following his previous penalty failures against Bolton and Arsenal.

But, without a Premiership goal since February 11, the striker reset his focus on breaking his duck and when Cudicini fumbled Mikael Silvestre’s harmless cross, the Dutchman kept his cool and fired home for the 107th time in his remarkable United career.

“After the penalty, there was only one thing on my mind,” he said. “I wanted a goal. The run wasn’t bothering me because I have missed a few games through injury and I did score against Manchester City and Fulham in the FA Cup but it was great to get one in the end.

“The most important thing though was to get through the game without a problem. I needed to see how fit I was because while training is okay, you need to play matches.

“I worked hard and I felt sharp. I don’t know whether I will be involved against Aston Villa next week but whatever happens, we can look forward to the FA Cup final with a bit more confidence,” he said.