Louis van Gaal confirms Robin van Persie will miss Manchester United’s Premier League season opener
As Manchester United ramp up to the start of the English Premier League season one player has really stood out by his absence—forward Robin van Persie. The Dutch striker has been on holiday following the Netherlands run in the World Cup, while the Red Devils’ preseason training has gone on in the United States.
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Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal confirmed to Sky Sports in the UK that Van Persie will return to training on Monday, but that he won’t be used in the final preseason friendly or the opener of the EPL season against Swansea.
“Robin will begin training on Monday but he won’t play against Valencia, definitely not,” van Gaal told Sky Sports. “He won’t play in the Premier League either. When a player has been on holiday for three weeks they have to train. I’m sorry but players have to train and Robin needs a full training regime behind him before he can play again.”
It’s an interesting decision given the need for strikers that United has and the form van Persie showed at the World Cup as well. Van Gaal should know, as he saw the Dutch striker first-hand as the manager of the Netherlands side.
The dutch coach isn’t worried about what others think though,
“People can criticise me for my decision but I know what to do with players who have had three weeks’ holiday,” said va Gaal. “Hopefully, Robin will get his fitness back very fast but, for now, he won’t play.”
This will be a strange season for the Red Devils, as the team will not compete in any European club competition for the first time in a long time.
If Manchester United are to get back to the Champions League, van Persie will be a key cog in getting there.