Ryan Giggs used his status among the Manchester United team to take over penalty duties.
United legend was confident with penalties
Ryan Giggs has confessed that he used his status among the Manchester United team to take over penalty duties.
The 36-year-old converted twice from the spot in United's 3-1 victory over Tottenham on Saturday to send his team to the top of the Premier League and keep them very much in the race with Chelsea.
With United's regular man from the spot, Wayne Rooney, out, Giggs and Nani were left to decide who would step up should they be required.
The Welshman had not taken a penalty in normal time for his team since missing against Southampton in 1992 in an FA Cup replay, a demon Giggs exorcised with a vengeance 18 years later.
"It was whoever felt good on the day. Nani felt confident but as captain and elder statesman I decided to take it," said Giggs.
"It is the first penalty I have ever taken in the Premier League.
"I missed my first one for United in the FA Cup and after that I never really got a look in."
Nerves
Despite having won everything there is to win in the English domestic game and being one of the most experienced players around, Giggs admitted that he still got nervous about taking penalties.
And with a lot at stake on his first kick in the race for the title, with the game still goalless, the tension was almost unbearable as Giggs stepped up.
"There were nerves," he added.
"But you have to trust yourself and trust what you did in training the day before. You have to try and keep calm.
"We have always had good penalty-takers here from when I first came into the team; Steve Bruce, Eric Cantona, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney.
"I have been quite happy to see them go ahead and take them but I felt quite confident about those two."
