He continues:
"I never had any doubts that I would recover my fitness and once a striker is 100 per cent fit he can concentrate on what he is in the team to do - score goals.
"Last season was difficult for me because I was never quite 100 per cent fit and at times I was playing matches when I wasn't perhaps able to do myself justice.
"It is important for a striker to feel confident in his body. You have to be sure that you are going to do things without getting injured, but there were times when I just didn't feel comfortable.
"It wasn't that I was playing in pain. It was more a case of not having the conditioning that you need if you are going to show your best form.
"I am now feeling the benefit of a strong pre-season and I am very happy I have been scoring goals again.
"The most important thing is always the team, but a striker always likes to feel that he is contributing with goals."
Fergie in The Independent:
"Ruud's enjoying his football and he is fit, and that is the difference.
"He wasn't 100 per cent last year, and we recognise that it was our fault [bringing him back too early to play against Milan in the Champions' League], but he is looking great. You always worry about how injury impacts on any player. But he is fit, fresh and looking good."
Van Nistelrooy, by nature a penalty-box player, has also been electing to take more free-kicks and shoot from distance. Is that something he had been working on? "No," insisted Ferguson. "It's just in practice sessions all the players want to have a go at free-kicks, and he wanted a go, and did well with them, and there is nothing wrong with that."