Neville: Van Persie failing to meet expectations
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville has claimed Robin van Persie is falling below the standards expected of him this season.
Van Persie disappointed in Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at Manchester City, with Neville suggesting the Dutch striker, who made such a big impact in his first campaign at United following his move from Arsenal in the summer of 2012, needs to improve at a time when his team are struggling to put together consistent results.
“There’s pressure on Van Persie, people want more from him,” Neville told Sky Sports. “‘He’s got to do better in long situations and needs to make better runs, but his team-mates aren’t finding him as much as [Paul] Scholes and [Michael] Carrick were two years ago.
“I called him a burglar before, he lives off the back of centre-backs. The type of pass he wants is into space. In defence of Van Persie I don’t think his team-mates are in sync as they were two years ago. Maybe Carrick coming back will help him.”
Van Persie has made one major contribution to United’s stuttering season so far, as he scored the last gasp equaliser to earn his side a point against table-topping Chelsea at Old Trafford last month.
He is also joint top scorer for United in the Premier League alongside Wayne Rooney and Angel Di Maria with three goals, but his place in Louis van Gaal’s starting line-up could come under threat when Radamel Falcao returns from injury.
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