Robin van Persie’s place in Louis van Gaal’s starting XI is reportedly under threat.
Robin van Persie’s place in the Manchester United starting XI is in jeopardy, according to the Daily Mirror.
The newspaper report that Louis van Gaal could drop his fellow Dutchman for United’s clash with Crystal Palace this weekend, with 18-year-old James Wilson his replacement at Old Trafford.
Van Persie has scored just three Premier League goals so far this season and Van Gaal is looking for more from his front man.
For Wilson, meanwhile, this would potentially be his first start of the campaign. But does Van Persie deserve to be dropped?
| Goals/Game | Assists/Game | Chances Created/Game | Shots on Target/Game | Aerial Duels Won/Game | Appearances | Mins Played | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne Rooney | 0.43 | 0.29 | 1 | 0.86 | 1 | 7 | 599 |
| Ander Herrera | 0.4 | 0.2 | 1 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 5 | 366 |
| Ángel Di María | 0.38 | 0.5 | 3.25 | 1.13 | 0 | 8 | 663 |
| Robin van Persie | 0.33 | 0 | 1.11 | 1.33 | 1 | 9 | 758 |
| Juan Mata | 0.25 | 0.13 | 1.25 | 0.38 | 0.25 | 8 | 577 |
| Falcao | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 5 | 251 |
A key fact to note is that Van Persie’s three-goal tally is the joint-highest of any Man United player, with Angel Di Maria and Wayne Rooney also having scored three times.
As Opta stats show, though, Van Persie is his side’s fourth-best goalscorer in terms of his goals per game average.
The 31-year-old has also failed to register any assists but does create more chances on average than Radamel Falcao and Rooney. The Dutchman is also relatively effective in the air and averages more shots on target than any of his team-mates.
Van Persie’s form, however, has disappointed many – and now his manager is reportedly ready to act.
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