Could Robin Van Persie Lose His First-Team Place at Manchester United?

At a time when there was little to smile about, a smirk spread across Robin van Persie’s face. “Trust me, we’ll be back,” he said when a reporter asked how Manchester United would react to the sacking of David Moyes. “Trust me,” he reiterated.

Of course, the Dutch striker probably had some inside information on who would replace Moyes at Old Trafford: his national team manager, Louis van Gaal. And at the World Cup, Van Persie went on to demonstrate the innate understanding he has with Van Gaal.

The high-five between the two men after Van Persie’s astonishing diving header against Spain became one of the enduring images of the tournament, as Holland made it to the semi-finals.

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So when Van Gaal was appointed United boss, everything suggested that Van Persie would become his on-the-field leader and closest confidant. But just a matter of weeks into Van Gaal’s Man Utd tenure, the signs aren’t so positive for the striker.

While Man Utd’s front line has been sparked into life by the signings of Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao, Van Persie has struggled to replicate his form of the past two seasons.

The Dutchman has just two goals from his first six games of the new campaign at a time when United are finding the net with apparent ease.

It could be the case that Van Persie is still weary from the World Cup—he is now 31 years old, after all—but something is lacking from his play. This isn’t the same player who almost single-handedly led United to a record 20th title last year.

Should Van Persie continue his recent run of poor form, it’s entirely possible United could move on without him in the starting lineup.

With Wayne Rooney suspended for Sunday’s 2-1 win over Everton, Van Gaal was afforded a glimpse of what his team could look like in the long run, with Juan Mata as the No. 10 behind a solid front two. The problem for Van Persie is that that front two could consist of Rooney and Falcao.

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Indeed, if Mata is to be accommodated in United’s team, one of either Van Persie or Rooney needs to be sacrificed, and is Van Gaal really going to drop his captain?

That’s not to say that Mata hasn’t had struggles of his own in adapting to Van Gaal’s philosophy and methods. But his performance against Everton on Sunday suggested that the Spanish playmaker is beginning to readjust.

At times against Swansea, Sunderland and Burnley—the first three games of the season—Mata was guilty of slowing down United’s attacking play, holding the ball when he should have moved it on quicker. 

By trade, Mata is a player who operates on the edge of the opposition's box, specialising in picking a pass through a packed defence. But under Van Gaal, he is required to work at pace and provide more ruthless players with the ball as quickly as possible.

With Mata apparently adjusting to life under Van Gaal, and Falcao giving the United boss more top-tier options up front, the prospect of Van Persie missing out on a first-team place seems a entirely viable one.

All this follows on from the surprise decision by Van Gaal to overlook Van Persie when naming his captain for the season. Instead, Rooney was chosen, counteracting those who suggested the England striker’s United career could be under threat.

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Perhaps the appointment of Rooney as United captain was a way to get the often flaky striker on Van Gaal’s side in the knowledge that Van Persie was already in line.

But Van Gaal has already demonstrated his willingness to drop even his most devoted followers when they are not performing, and Van Persie is not meeting his own high standards.

In fact, Van Gaal actually started his reign as Netherlands manager by dropping Van Persie following a disastrous Euro 2012 campaign.

“In my individual meeting with Louis, he told me I would no longer be the number one striker,” explained Van Persie, as per Jim Hughes and Lee Neville of the Daily Mirror. “He preferred to go with Klaas Jan Huntelaar and I had to accept a place among the reserves.”

Of course, Van Persie eventually earned back his place and Van Gaal’s faith, but the trust between the two men isn’t a blind one. The striker must uphold his end of the relationship if he is to keep a starting spot. And as things currently stand, he is failing to do so.

Van Persie’s future at Man Utd could be in question.