Louis van Gaal is not a manager who publicly criticises his players very often but in his press conference ahead of Sunderland, he made it clear he wasn’t happy with his misfiring strikers.
Robin van Persie’s injury rules him out of today’s game which leaves van Gaal with Radamel Falcao, Wayne Rooney and James Wilson to choose from to start against Sunderland.
Like van Persie, Falcao has floundered in front of goal. The Colombian striker has underwhelmed so far this season and with March just around the corner, he doesn’t have long left to earn himself a permanent contract.
As for Rooney, he hasn’t played up front enough to be painted with the same brush and neither can Wilson, so it might not be a surprise to see who The Peoples Person Twitter followers want to see start against Sunderland:
@PeoplesPerson_ Rooney-Wilson
— Darragh Collins (@DazColz) February 27, 2015
@PeoplesPerson_ Rooney-Wilson
— Hawk Eye (@ConstantRed) February 27, 2015
@PeoplesPerson_ Falcao on his own
— Hemanth (@HBK_MUFC) February 27, 2015
@PeoplesPerson_ Rooney-Wilson.
— abhishek dhar (@RedIndian1999) February 27, 2015
@PeoplesPerson_ Rooney Wilson
— ONE LOVE (@Cantona99MUFC) February 27, 2015
@peoplesperson_ Wilson/Falcao… James Wilson's pace will cause Brown and Oshea a whole lot of problems #fansview
— Kingsley (@KingsleyMUFC) February 27, 2015
@PeoplesPerson_ wilson/falcao
— Shane (@HugoHetBeest) February 27, 2015
@PeoplesPerson_ Rooney/Wilson
— Luke Newton (@LukeNewton13) February 27, 2015
@PeoplesPerson_ everyone is gonna say Rooney and Wilson. I'd like to see Rooney up top on his own with wingers
— Andrew (@MUFC20GGMU) February 27, 2015
While there was the occasional call for Falcao to start as well as Rooney playing up top on his own, it was the partnership of United’s captain alongside 19-year-old Wilson which most fans wanted to see.
Rooney and Wilson have pace and energy in abundance, especially in comparison to a duo of van Persie and Falcao, which might explain why fans are so keen to see them start together.
Another reason is that they are very different strikers. Wilson will run the channels all day long creating space which Rooney can attack. For all their strengths, Falcao and van Persie are similar players and often make similar runs which causes congestion.
The partnership of Rooney and Wilson isn’t one which has had much game time together this season but up against the legs of Sunderland’s veteran defence, it could be the perfect set-up for United to attack with.