It is almost three months since Manchester United sold Danny Welbeck to Arsenal for £16 million because Louis van Gaal did not think the striker was good enough to play for the Reds.

"He doesn't have the record of (Robin) van Persie or (Wayne) Rooney and that is the standard," said van Gaal, whose team meets the Gunners at Emirates Stadium on Saturday in a game which, for the first time in Premier League history, has no significant bearing on the title. "That is why we let him go — because of (Rademal) Falcao, but also the youngsters who can fit in."

Since his move to Arsenal, Welbeck has scored 10 goals in 19 games for club and country — five apiece. In the same period, van Persie has scored five in 12, Rooney seven in 11, including two for United, and Falcao one in five.