van Gaal Dealt Blow As Star Ruled Out Of Key Tottenham & Liverpool Games

Manchester United have been handed a major injury blow as Robin van Persie is set to miss crucial games against Tottenham and Liverpool, according to the Express.

van Persie has been on the sidelines since suffering an ankle injury during the closing stages of United’s 2-1 defeat to Swansea City two weeks ago.

The 31-year-old left the Liberty Stadium on crutches and was ruled out for around three weeks following confirmation he’d strained his right ankle.

There were faint hopes he could make a swift recovery but the Express are reporting today that the Dutchman will be out for at least another two weeks.

It means van Persie will miss Sunday’s visit of Tottenham Hotspur to Old Trafford as well as next weekend’s crucial trip to Anfield to take on Liverpool.

With United just two points ahead of the Merseysiders and three clear of Spurs, these two games will go a long way to determining which clubs finish in the top four this season and van Persie’s loss will be a huge blow for United.

The striker has been left out of the Holland national squad for their upcoming Euro 2016 qualifier against Turkey and the friendly against Spain at the end of the month, but it’s United who are really going to miss his presence.

Without van Persie, Louis van Gaal has been forced to deploy Wayne Rooney as a lone striker as Radamel Falcao has failed to take his chance to stake a claim at the first team.

The Colombian has only managed four goals all season and had to play for the under-21’s this week in order to maintain his fitness having not made it off the bench in United’s last two games.

He may not be firing on all cylinders himself this season, but van Persie remains the clubs joint top goalscorer along with Wayne Rooney on 10 goals, so van Gaal will be hugely disappointed he won’t be available over the coming weeks.