Ruud van Nistelrooy explains how he cleared the air with Sir Alex Ferguson after Manchester United exit

Former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has detailed how he felt it was important to clear the air with Sir Alex Ferguson a year after leaving the club.

Despite being one of United's most talented and decorated strikers to have played for the club in the Premier League era, Van Nistelrooy departed M16 in July 2006, joining Spanish giants Real Madrid. He had plundered a very impressive 150 goals in 219 appearances for the club after singing from PSV Eindhoven in 2001.

Although he was a prolific goalscorer throughout his United career, Van Nistelrooy was named on the bench for the 2006 League Cup final against Wigan Athletic at the formerly known Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. It sparked reports of a bust-up between the Dutchman and Ferguson, with the latter choosing to start Louis Saha up front alongside Wayne Rooney.

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Saha had started four of United's five matches on route to the final while Van Nistelrooy had played just twice in the competition that season, meaning it was a fair decision in the former's favour. However, Van Nistelrooy failed to make it off the bench, despite being ordered to go and warm-up by Ferguson in preparation for coming on.

"Sir Alex Ferguson explained to me that I wasn't going to start in the League Cup final because Louis Saha played in the other rounds, and it was fine with me," Van Nistelrooy told The Overlap.

"We were winning quite a bit in the final and he sent me out to warm-up, and then didn't put me on. I sat down on the bench, and I said something to him whilst I was a bit angry, that I wasn't going to be coming on – I snapped a bit.

"The comment and snap in that moment of a final – you