Van Persie rues missed opportunities this season

Striker Robin van Persie admits that he is ruing the missed opportunities this season, when the team's challenge for the Premiership title faded away this month.

But the signs were already showing when we started to struggle to score goals, coinciding somewhat with the injury suffered by van Persie in November.

Goal fests such as the ones against Everton (6-1), Wigan (4-0), Blackburn (6-2) and Spurs (3-0) became distant memories when the Dutchman was ruled out for the best part of six months.

What followed were results like a reverse to Sunderland (1-0) and draws with Burnley (1-1), Everton (2-2) and Villa (0-0).

Whilst it's difficult to pinpoint our fading title challenge on van Persie's injury (goalkeeper, defence!), it was definitely one of the major factors.

But van Persie is glad to finally be back from injury, saying: "It is hard [to be out] when you are on a good run and your team are playing well, everything was coming together at that time.

"We were all playing for each other, having assists and scoring goals. You go away with a good feeling to play for your country and come back injured again, it is hard.

"I am so pleased to be back. The plan was to play for 60 to 70 minutes. I had some contact with the physio about that time, and everything felt good so we played on.

"He asked how I was. I said my back was fine and my muscles were working, so I just wanted to play on."

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