Cape Town - Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick has backed
Robin van Persie to return to the form that saw him win successive
Golden Boot awards, as the Red Devils look to get back to their very
best.
The Netherlands international moved to Old Trafford in 2012 after finishing that season as the Premier League's top scorer for Arsenal, and mirrored the feat in his debut campaign with United as they won the top-flight title.
The 31-year-old suffered a dip in form in the 2013/14 season under former manager David Moyes, though, while his contributions for new boss Louis van Gaal during the current term have also left much to be desired, leading to claims he is past his best.
The Dutchman did, however, respond in style in the 3-0 victory over Hull City on Saturday, setting up Wayne Rooney's goal before capping off an impressive individual display with a stunning effort from outside the box before being replaced by new loan signing Radamel Falcao.
"We all get criticised at certain times and it's something you have to deal with. The best way to answer it is the way he did it against Hull," Football411 quotes Carrick as saying.
"Robin scored a great goal (against Hull) and hopefully that will be the start of a good run over the weeks to come.
"When you have got him scoring, Wayne scoring and Falcao coming off the bench and nearly scoring, we'll be a threat to anyone. You want those boys when they're flying and it's scary to play against.
"What Robin and Wayne did against Hull, we've seen that happen so often in the past and hopefully we'll see that in the coming weeks again. It gives the whole team huge confidence and belief that, even if we're not playing great, we're always in the game."
The Netherlands international moved to Old Trafford in 2012 after finishing that season as the Premier League's top scorer for Arsenal, and mirrored the feat in his debut campaign with United as they won the top-flight title.
The 31-year-old suffered a dip in form in the 2013/14 season under former manager David Moyes, though, while his contributions for new boss Louis van Gaal during the current term have also left much to be desired, leading to claims he is past his best.
The Dutchman did, however, respond in style in the 3-0 victory over Hull City on Saturday, setting up Wayne Rooney's goal before capping off an impressive individual display with a stunning effort from outside the box before being replaced by new loan signing Radamel Falcao.
"We all get criticised at certain times and it's something you have to deal with. The best way to answer it is the way he did it against Hull," Football411 quotes Carrick as saying.
"Robin scored a great goal (against Hull) and hopefully that will be the start of a good run over the weeks to come.
"When you have got him scoring, Wayne scoring and Falcao coming off the bench and nearly scoring, we'll be a threat to anyone. You want those boys when they're flying and it's scary to play against.
"What Robin and Wayne did against Hull, we've seen that happen so often in the past and hopefully we'll see that in the coming weeks again. It gives the whole team huge confidence and belief that, even if we're not playing great, we're always in the game."