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Cape Town - Manchester United striker Robin van Persie has urged his team to use Saturday's 2-1 victory over West Ham as a springboard for sustained improvement.
The Red Devils have made a poor start to the 2014/15 campaign, taking just eight points from their opening six games to lie seventh in the Premier League standings, eight points behind leaders Chelsea.
Having suffered a humiliating 5-3 defeat to Leicester City after seemingly getting their season back on track with a 4-0 win over QPR, United returned to winning ways on Saturday when they downed the Hammers.
Much has been made of the Manchester outfit's shaky defence, and they most certainly look better equipped up front where Van Persie is joined by Wayne Rooney and Radamel Falcao. With such substantial firepower, Van Persie believes that his side can use their attacking power to instill fear in teams - but they need to start building on their victories.
"If you look at these players, they are great players in their individual way," the Dutchman said of United's attack.
"But now we are working together on this project and I think games like winning 4-0 against QPR help. We had a setback against Leicester (losing 5-3), but to win in these circumstances like the weekend sends a message and shows that even in these difficult games we can win. Now we have to extend that.
"The first half was 11 v 11 and we were playing really well as a whole team. Eight minutes later it was 10 v 11 and the whole thing changed, but the way we fought for each other was unbelievable. It was a bit nerve-wracking at times, but we dug in and we did it so it gave us a lot of confidence."
Van Persie added that he is confident that his side are heading in the right direction as they all start to buy into manager Louis van Gaal's tough, but rewarding, philosphies.
"It's very demanding in a good way as you have to be focused every single day of the sessions or the meeting," said the striker.
"He wants players to get involved in the meeting too. You have to give your own input, which is what the staff likes. That's a bit of the Dutch thing. Everybody gets involved in the project. We are all working on it. Everyone has their own say, which is maybe new for some players but not for me as I know how he works.
"I think it's very interesting and very good because we are all pulling on the same rope - as the Dutch say. We all have one target, which is to win and win as much as we can. If I look at what I have seen in training and on the pitch in games, I can see that it is getting much better.
"We are improving every day and getting better. Some training sessions are incredible and we are showing that in games as well."
The Red Devils have made a poor start to the 2014/15 campaign, taking just eight points from their opening six games to lie seventh in the Premier League standings, eight points behind leaders Chelsea.
Having suffered a humiliating 5-3 defeat to Leicester City after seemingly getting their season back on track with a 4-0 win over QPR, United returned to winning ways on Saturday when they downed the Hammers.
Much has been made of the Manchester outfit's shaky defence, and they most certainly look better equipped up front where Van Persie is joined by Wayne Rooney and Radamel Falcao. With such substantial firepower, Van Persie believes that his side can use their attacking power to instill fear in teams - but they need to start building on their victories.
"If you look at these players, they are great players in their individual way," the Dutchman said of United's attack.
"But now we are working together on this project and I think games like winning 4-0 against QPR help. We had a setback against Leicester (losing 5-3), but to win in these circumstances like the weekend sends a message and shows that even in these difficult games we can win. Now we have to extend that.
"The first half was 11 v 11 and we were playing really well as a whole team. Eight minutes later it was 10 v 11 and the whole thing changed, but the way we fought for each other was unbelievable. It was a bit nerve-wracking at times, but we dug in and we did it so it gave us a lot of confidence."
Van Persie added that he is confident that his side are heading in the right direction as they all start to buy into manager Louis van Gaal's tough, but rewarding, philosphies.
"It's very demanding in a good way as you have to be focused every single day of the sessions or the meeting," said the striker.
"He wants players to get involved in the meeting too. You have to give your own input, which is what the staff likes. That's a bit of the Dutch thing. Everybody gets involved in the project. We are all working on it. Everyone has their own say, which is maybe new for some players but not for me as I know how he works.
"I think it's very interesting and very good because we are all pulling on the same rope - as the Dutch say. We all have one target, which is to win and win as much as we can. If I look at what I have seen in training and on the pitch in games, I can see that it is getting much better.
"We are improving every day and getting better. Some training sessions are incredible and we are showing that in games as well."
