Campbell Didn't Speak To Me For Six Months - Rooney

Wayne Rooney says his erstwhile England team-mate Sol Campbell went six months without speaking to him aft a punishment incident betwixt nan brace successful Manchester United's 2-0 triumph against Arsenal during nan 2004-05 season.

Arsenal, coached by Arsene Wenger, had been Premier League Invincibles nan erstwhile season, but Sir Alex Ferguson's United snapped their 49-game unbeaten convention streak successful an ill-tempered triumph astatine Old Trafford.

Ruud van Nistelrooy gave nan location broadside nan lead from nan punishment spot, aft Rooney went down wrong nan container nether nan situation of Arsenal centre-back Campbell.

Rooney, who had joined United from Everton earlier that summer, past sealed nan triumph successful nan 93rd infinitesimal - connected his 19th birthday.

After nan game, a portion of pizza was thrown astatine Ferguson by past 17-year-old Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas - a chaotic infinitesimal that would spell connected to beryllium dubbed arsenic nan 'Pizzagate'.

"It was a large crippled for Arsenal. If they had won it, it was 50 games unbeaten for them," said Rooney, speaking connected his caller BBC podcast The Wayne Rooney Show.

"We hit them 2-0 and Campbell did not speak to maine for complete six months.

"We met up [during world duty] and Sol won't speak to me. Sometimes, I was pinch Sol and I'd opportunity to him: 'Come connected man, we are playing for England here'.

"But he wouldn't speak to maine because he felt I dived. He near his limb retired and I deliberation location was a mini contact."

Matches betwixt Arsenal and Manchester United contained 7 reddish cards betwixt February 1997 and February 2005 arsenic nan 2 sides battled regularly for awesome honours.

In 2003-04, Van Nistelrooy was accused by nan Arsenal players of overreacting and getting Gunners skipper Patrick Vieira dismissed for a 2nd yellow.

When nan Dutch striker past went connected to miss an injury-time punishment successful nan crippled that was billed 'Battle of Old Trafford', it sparked unsavoury reactions from his opponents - successful peculiar Martin Keown.

The pursuing play Roy Keane and Vieira fought successful nan passageway astatine Arsenal's erstwhile stadium Highbury, pinch referee Graham Poll having to abstracted nan captains.

Reviewing Arsenal's 1-0 triumph astatine Old Trafford successful their Premier League opener connected Sunday, Rooney said: "When I joined United, it was nan large rivalry we had. I utilized to emotion playing against them, but it has died down a small spot now.

"I retrieve my first crippled astatine Highbury for United was nan 1 pinch Roy and Vieira successful nan tunnel. You tin consciousness nan crippled was connected a knife-edge and moreover nan referees sewage it.

"We had nan Fabregas 1 pinch Ferguson successful nan passageway - pinch him throwing a pizza astatine [Ferguson]. There were fights successful nan passageway wherever everyone was involved."