3. Rooney is Arsenal’s villain… again
Robin Van Persie and Danny Welbeck might have been facing their former clubs, but before the game all the attention was on Rooney. The Manchester United and England skipper came into the game having scored three goals in his last two games, that coupled with his penchant for scoring against the Gunners meant that the home side had to be on their toes if they had to stop from scoring.
So far this season, defensive injuries have meant that Rooney has had to sacrifice himself for the good of the team and against Arsenal it started in the same manner as well. In the first half, the 29-year-old was man-marking Mikel Arteta and ensuring that the Spaniard didn’t orchestrate the tempo of the game. But in the second half, as the visitors came into the game, their talisman made all the difference. After playing a vital part in the first, Rooney scored his first of the game and became the leading goal scorer against Arsenal in the Premier League with 11. Such is his quality that the striker was able to not only man-mark Arteta in the first half but also seamless turn into the side’s playmaker in the second. If Van Gaal can keep his captain fit, then they can finally win a run of games.