• Premier League

Wenger coy on Van Persie return

ESPN staff
February 11, 2014
Burley: Arsenal were a shambles

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has refused be drawn into the possibility of Robin van Persie making a return to the Gunners ahead of the clash with Manchester United.

Wenger lends support to Moyes

  • Arsene Wenger has defended David Moyes' record at United, with the longest-serving manager in the Premier League insisting the under-pressure manager is the right man to bring success to the club as he tries to replace Sir Alex Ferguson.
  • "You need time and patience. You need to be in a strong club and I think he will be given time to do it.
  • "When a person has been at a club for such a long time, there is always a void is created when he goes. I believe that Moyes, if given time will do that perfectly. They continue the same style of play. We consider them as a strong side and a team that has quality.
  • "Their season is difficult to judge. We consider we play against a good team and we want to beat them."

Media reports have suggested that Van Persie is unsettled at United, with rumours circulating that the striker could make what would be a remarkable return to the club he left in the summer of 2012.

However, Wenger has palmed away questions on the speculation of his former striker in his pre-match press conference ahead of the match at the Emirates on Wednesday night.

"I don't think that's an ideal subject for us to treat today," was Wenger's response. "I think it is best we don't talk about that at the moment.

"Robin van Persie is a great player, we know that. It doesn't mean he has to score [against Arsenal on Wednesday]. It depends how we defend against him."

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