FOOTBALL: SIR ALEX: NOW I'LL SEE BEST OF RUUD

SIR ALEX FERGUSON is savouring his decision to abandon his retirement plans for an additional reason - he'll now benefit directly from the best days of Ruud van Nistelrooy's career.

The Manchester United manager admitted after spending pounds 19million on Van Nistelrooy last summer that it would be his successor who would have the 25-year-old Dutch striker at his peak.

But now Fergie is staying at Old Trafford as boss for a further three years - a decision which is due to be confirmed this week - and he is licking his lips in anticipation of seeing at first hand the continued development of United's goal-machine.

As Van Nistelrooy had to overcome a serious knee problem to clinch his move to United from PSV Eindhoven, Fergie admits: "I was expecting that I would have to leave him out at some stage.

"But around October time, he started to blossom. He seemed to gain a yard or two in pace.

"He's actually getting better and he could have had seven goals in Nantes last Wednesday night.

"He's doing even better than I expected after I signed him and his game will develop further.

"Now, I can look forward to seeing him blossom over the next two to three years.

"I watched him in training on Friday and he was absolutely flying, like one of my horses on the gallops at Newmarket."

Racehorse owner Ferguson knows a winner when he sees one - and Van Nistelrooy is just that.

His last-minute penalty equaliser in Nantes was his 27th goal of the season for United and he'll be the player the French side fear most when the teams meet in the return Champions League match at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Ferguson added: "Ruud isn't fazed by anything. The way Nantes goalkeeper Mickael Landreau had played that night, I thought he would save it.

"But Ruud is like ice. He showed his temperament and his ruthlessness with that penalty."

Now Fergie must decide whether to stick with his Champions League formation of 4-5-1 on Tuesday, or the 4-4-2 line-up with which he finished the match.

But the United boss is adamant that using Van Nistelrooy as a lone striker is working in Europe.

"It's a load of rubbish to say we were better with 4-4-2 than 4-5- 1," Fergie insisted.

"We created five chances in the first half alone when we were playing with just Ruud up front.

"Their keeper made two good saves, Ruud hit the post and could have scored with a header and Roy Keane missed an absolute sitter."

But what isn't in any doubt, Ferguson insists, is that his players have an "edge" to their game at the moment.

The United boss said: "We might have gone to Nantes, lost 1-0 and not made chances. That happened in Marseilles a few years back.

"But our attacking work in Nantes was very good. We had 17 attempts at goal - 10 on target - and that is phenomenal against a side who don't concede many goals.

"We kept going and got our equaliser, and the players are relishing the double challenge of the Premiership and the Champions League.

"There is an edge to our play which is helping. There is no cushion for us in the Premiership, as there has been in the last two years.

"We aren't clear of the field - it's tight and the players know they have got to make sure we win all our matches.

"Of course, you can't win them all. In the League, for instance, we lost to Liverpool at home - even though we had battered them. But all teams make mistakes. The key is how you recover from a setback like that.

"We made a mistake that night, but we've reacted well and we are still there in the race."

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