Robin Van Persie: Rooney and I make each other better

Robin van Persie says that the presence of Wayne Rooney makes him a better player – and believes he has the same effect on his Manchester United team-mate.

The pair are currently sidelined because of injury and United have struggled amid their absence.

Last season they scored 38 top-flight goals between them as the Red Devils sauntered to the Premier League title.

And Van Persie feels there is more to come from the double act.

'We realise that we are stronger when we are playing together, as a partnership,' the Dutchman told UEFA Champions magazine.

'You are always stronger, in any sport, in life, when you are doing stuff together. With a player of Wayne’s calibre, we can go from strength to strength, and we can become even better.

'One game he will score a couple, the next game I will score a couple. It is important that this partnership is becoming even stronger.'

Van Persie believes that he and Rooney boast a 'rare' quality.

'In a way we are both "nine-and-a-halves", because we can play high up front and we can drop,' he went on.

'That is an extra quality we have, which is quite rare. If you look around you have loads of main strikers, target men, foxes-in-the-boxes, and you have No 10s who are dropping in more.

'With us it’s not obvious because we can both do that job. Wayne is doing a bit more, because he is playing behind me, but we can both do it.'

Meanwhile, Van Persie has revealed that some words of wisdom from AC Milan legend and former Holland manager Marco van Basten helped to sharpen his focus in front of goal.

'The way he (Van Basten) looked at football was ice cold,' reflected Van Persie.

'I remember a game against Manchester City and I hit the bar, the post twice and one chance went just by it, and we lost that game.

RVP with Rooney © manchestereveningnews.co.uk

'I went to play for Holland and he asked me: “How was your game?” I said: “Yes, actually quite good.” Then he said: “How was your game?” I said: “Yes actually not bad. I was a bit unlucky, but I think I played well. I hit the post and the bar...”

'He said: “No, no, Robin, it’s not good enough. You need to make sure that you score those goals, that they don’t hit the post or the bar, and you should not be happy if it hits the bar or the post, because the bar or the post is not a goal. So, no it was not good. I watched the game and you’ve got to change your mentality of looking at those situations.”

'He opened my mind, because he was right.'

Van Persie and United return to Champions League action next month when they face Olympiacos in the last 16.

The Rotterdam-born star was just 11 when he watched Ajax lift the trophy in 1995 courtesy of Patrick Kluivert's toe poke against AC Milan.

Van Persie says that is one of the goals he wishes he had scored.

'It wasn’t beautiful but it changed his life,' he said, 'He was 17 or 18 at the time, it was an unbelievable stage to score such an ugly, important goal which won them the Champions League.

'Arjen Robben’s goal last year, it was very special, to do it in the 89th minute, it’s a dream come true, and I was really happy for him when I saw that.

'He deserved that, he’s worked so hard over the years, he’s had some ups and downs, he is a great player. To enjoy a moment like that, to score the winner in a Champions League final in the 89th minute, that’s dream stuff.

'And, of course, Zidane’s volley against Leverkusen in 2002. That was a beautiful one as well.'

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