Homecoming king: Robin van Persie silences angry fans and enjoys old pals reunion
The Manchester United star returns to the Emirates to mixed reception – but nips in afterwards for some Arsenal 'home cooking'
PA
Robin van Persie silenced Arsenal’s angry fans - and then had an emotional dressing-room reunion with his former team-mates.
Van Persie was given a guard of honour and booed on his return to the Emirates but still kept his nerve to coolly fire home a penalty which put a dent in Arsenal’s Champions League hopes.
But Gunners manager Arsene Wenger revealed that the striker made a point of going in to the home changing rooms following the hard-fought draw.
Speaking afterwards Wenger said: “He’s in our dressing room at the moment because the food is better in our dressing room than their dressing room!
“We are rivals but look, at the end of the day, we decided to sell him. You want us to make a guard of honour and to respect the champions but you have to accept as well that respect exists after the game.
“You want to give absolutely everything for the 90 minutes and after the game you can still talk to each other.
“He took his penalty very well. I knew when he decided to take the penalty that it would be 80 per cent that he scored. He was our penalty taker. He does that very well. He does a lot of things very well, Robin van Persie.
“I wouldn’t be shocked if a guy celebrates because internally he is happy anyway. That has become basically now another way to behave for football players in England.”
Wenger admitted that Arsenal cannot afford to drop any more points and finishing in the top four is no longer in their hands even though Tottenham and Chelsea still have to play each other.
“We are in a position where we cannot drop points, we know that,” said Wenger. “I’m convinced we will be there. But the other teams are in the same position.”
Sir Alex Ferguson bemoaned referee Phil Dowd for making eight players - five from Manchester United - which also included Bacary Sagna after conceding the penalty and Arsenal’s goal scorer Theo Walcott.
United boss Ferguson said: “We had five players booked. We have one of the best disciplinary records in the country. For Man Utd to have five players booked I don’t think that is right.
“I thought the referee found it difficult and the game was running away from he, he found it difficult to control. Once we started getting some momentum going and a bit of heart, we looked like the team to win.
“At the end of the day, we were the team making the chances. Credit to Arsenal, they kept fighting which is what we expected.”
Van Persie was given a guard of honour and booed on his return to the Emirates but still kept his nerve to coolly fire home a penalty which put a dent in Arsenal’s Champions League hopes.
But Gunners manager Arsene Wenger revealed that the striker made a point of going in to the home changing rooms following the hard-fought draw.
Speaking afterwards Wenger said: “He’s in our dressing room at the moment because the food is better in our dressing room than their dressing room!
“We are rivals but look, at the end of the day, we decided to sell him. You want us to make a guard of honour and to respect the champions but you have to accept as well that respect exists after the game.
“You want to give absolutely everything for the 90 minutes and after the game you can still talk to each other.
“He took his penalty very well. I knew when he decided to take the penalty that it would be 80 per cent that he scored. He was our penalty taker. He does that very well. He does a lot of things very well, Robin van Persie.
“I wouldn’t be shocked if a guy celebrates because internally he is happy anyway. That has become basically now another way to behave for football players in England.”
Wenger admitted that Arsenal cannot afford to drop any more points and finishing in the top four is no longer in their hands even though Tottenham and Chelsea still have to play each other.
“We are in a position where we cannot drop points, we know that,” said Wenger. “I’m convinced we will be there. But the other teams are in the same position.”
Sir Alex Ferguson bemoaned referee Phil Dowd for making eight players - five from Manchester United - which also included Bacary Sagna after conceding the penalty and Arsenal’s goal scorer Theo Walcott.
United boss Ferguson said: “We had five players booked. We have one of the best disciplinary records in the country. For Man Utd to have five players booked I don’t think that is right.
“I thought the referee found it difficult and the game was running away from he, he found it difficult to control. Once we started getting some momentum going and a bit of heart, we looked like the team to win.
“At the end of the day, we were the team making the chances. Credit to Arsenal, they kept fighting which is what we expected.”
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