Reeling Robin

RVP was ‘fit’ but Van Gaal snubbed him for Palace

LOUIS VAN GAAL’S ruthless streak came to the fore again at the weekend when he left Robin van Persie out of his squad for the game at Crystal Palace despit e t he Dutch striker insisting he was fit and ready to play.

Manchester United manager Van Gaal didn’t include Van Persie in the 18-man squad that eventually prevailed 2-1 at Selhurst Park, saying he had been suffering from a virus.

However, Van Persie told friends on Saturday afternoon that he was ‘absolutely fine’ and was disappointed not to have played.

It is understood that Van Persie had indeed missed a day’s training earlier last week after picking up a bug that Van Gaal himself had been suffering from for a couple of days.

But the 31-year-old was fit enough to train fully on Friday and travelled to London that evening expecting to be involved the next day. When he wasn’t included, he was left bemused, according to those close to him.

Van Gaal’s decision provides more evidence of his absolute refusal to pick players if they haven’t had a full week’s training in the leadup to a game. The United coach’s policy has left other players frustrated this season, with striker Radamel Falcao believing he has been fit to play on occasions when Van Gaal has decreed otherwise.

‘Being fit and being fit enough to play for me is not the same thing,’ Van Gaal said earlier this season.

The only player to be occasionally exempt from Van Gaal’s selection practices is Wayne Rooney. As Van Gaal’s captain, Rooney is an automatic pick for every Barclays Premier League game unless he is injured.

That apart, players must train regularly with the first-team squad if they are to play. That is the reason players such as Van Per- sie, Falcao, Luke Shaw, Jonny Evans and Michael Carrick have found themselves on Under 21 duty at times this season.

Nonetheless Van Persie is happy to stay at United next season, as recently revealed by Sportsmail.

The former Arsenal forward believes next season — the last on his contract — will be more productive than this one, given he has suffered injury over recent months, and that United’s return to European football will give him more opportunities to play.