Robin van Persie returned with a bang in Monday’s victory over Southampton.
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has once again criticised senior centre forward Robin van Persie ahead of today’s crucial Premier League local derby against Liverpool at Old Trafford, with the Dutchman saying that his compatriot was “lucky” to avoid being dropped due to his poor recent form according to the Mirror.
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Van Persie returned to form with a bang in United’s gritty Monday night victory over Southampton at St. Mary’s, scoring twice with two cool finishes despite a lack of creativity from his teammates, but the former Arsenal star was awful during the recent match against his former club at the Emirates Stadium.
It is not the first time that van Gaal has criticised the player who was his captain for The Netherlands at the World Cup in the summer, but this time van Gaal was explicit in the fact that his fellow countryman was fortunate not to be dropped and was only saved by the fitness issues of Radamel Falcao:
“Robin wasn’t playing very well so then you have to compare him with other players, and he was a lucky boy. At that time, Falcao was injured and I had to compare him with Wayne Rooney and James Wilson.”
Van Persie is almost certain to feature in the United starting line-up at Old Trafford this afternoon, however, as Liverpool come to town – and he will be looking to build on his brace on the South Coast.