Soccer: Van Nistelrooy back with a vengeance

THE ALARM bells are ringing across London from Highbury to Stamford Bridge — Ruud van Nistelrooy is back.

After two glorious seasons since his €26.4-million move from PSV, the flying Dutchman appeared to be on the brink of a personal crisis. His goals had dried up, he had fallen out with his national coach and Holland were in apparent danger of missing their second major tournament in row.

Yet, in just seven days, the 27-year-old has transformed his season.

With the pressure applied, Van Nistelrooy delivered the midweek hat-trick that demolished Scotland's European Championship hopes before completing his "dream week" by finding the net for Manchester United in open play for the first time in the Barclaycard Premiership since the end of September.

Worryingly for Arsenal and Chelsea, the Red Devils' next league opponents at Stamford Bridge next Sunday, it is a sure sign that Van Nistelrooy is ready to hit top form again and eager to reclaim his position as one of Europe's most lethal hit-men.

"What happened against Scotland was like a dream for me because there had been so much talk before the game about the strikers, who was going to play and whether we were going to qualify or not," he said.

"It was our biggest game of the year, and to score a hat-trick just meant so much. I felt so great afterwards that I just wanted to get out on the field again. The manager left a few players out who had been in big matches on Wednesday, but I was delighted to be involved.

"To get the opening goal as well just capped off an incredible week. I'm not too interested in the statistics; I'm just glad to have scored."

For the record, when Van Nistelrooy blasted home Quinton Fortune's return pass to put United in front midway through the opening period against Blackburn yesterday, it was his 12th goal of the campaign and his first in the league since the penalty he converted against Birmingham at the beginning of last month.

It took his overall Red Devils tally to 92 in just 119 appearances, the best ratio in the club's history.

Of equal delight was Van Nistelrooy's part in Kleberson's debut United strike.

The crisp seven-pass move was the highlight of the afternoon. Fortune laid off Van Nistelrooy's cut-back right into the path of the Brazilian, whose early Old Trafford career has been blighted by poor form and a dislocated shoulder.

Of more concern was the way United faded after half-time and allowed a poor Blackburn side back into a contest that should have been wrapped up long before Brett Emerton halved the deficit just past the hour mark.

It all makes it more likely Ferguson will make superficial changes for Wednesday's Champions League encounter with Panathinaikos in Athens where a draw would see United reach the 10-point total their manager believes will assure qualification.