Van Nistlerooy expects 'normal' return to United

Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy celebrates at the end of the World Cup match against Serbia and Montenegro. Van Nistelrooy says there is not a problem between him and his club Manchester United, despite looking set for the exit after falling out with manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has said there was not a problem between him and his club Manchester United, despite looking set for the exit after falling out with manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

After losing his first-team place at Old Trafford, and being banned by Ferguson from playing in former club captain Roy Keane's testimonial against Celtic, van Nistelrooy was expected to be headed for a lucrative move abroad.

But when asked about his current situation at United, the striker who scored 21 goals in the Premiership last season, second only to Arsenal's Thierry Henry, insisted: "It's not a frustration or a problem.

"Things happen and that's it. After that you finish it and go on with other important things."

Van Nistelrooy added that he was expecting things to be "just normal" when he returns to Manchester after the World Cup, though, it is a change of tack from a few weeks ago when he suggested that perhaps it was better if he did leave.

While Chelsea winger Arjen Robben stole the show in the Dutch team's 1-0 win over Serbia and Montenegro in Group C on Sunday, van Nistelrooy was subdued and was substituted after 69 minutes.

"Ruud did not play well and that's why he was taken off," Dutch coach Marco van Basten said, although he said he would keep faith with him for Friday's clash with African Nations Cup finalists Ivory Coast in Stuttgart.

The striker himself admitted that he had been off-form.

"The score was 1-0 and we have to be happy with that," he said.

"But personally I always think of my own performance and I'm always very critical, as usual, and you always want to improve on it and do things better.

"That was the same on Sunday."

Van Nistelrooy made the Dutch World Cup squad ahead of the Netherlands' top league scorer Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, and the vote of confidence from van Basten came at a time when many thought the United hitman would be looking to catch the eye in football's ultimate shop window.

Van Nistelrooy, the scorer of 150 goals in 200 starts for United since joining in a 19-million-pound transfer from PSV Eindhoven five years ago, has two years left on his current contract, but has attracted interest from Atletico Madrid and French champions Lyon.

Van Nistelrooy's optimism may also be misplaced as any player who has had a public bust up with Ferguson has not survived long as both David Beckham and Keane found out to their cost.