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28 March 2024

Man Utd's Welbeck to bench Robin Van Persie?

Danny Welbeck of England celebrates after scoring the first goal during the international friendly against Belgium at Wembley Stadium on June 2, 2012 in London, England. (GETTY)

Published
By Football Correspondent with Agencies

When Danny Welbeck puts on an England shirt and is played as the out and out striker, he scores.

England outclassed Moldova 4-0 to top World Cup qualifying Group H after two goals from Danny Welbeck and one each from captain Steven Gerrard and Rickie Lambert.

Welbeck has scored six times in his last seven England matches.
Manchester United and David Moyes must be perplexed as to what happens to Welbeck when he has his Manchester United colours on.
The answer could very well be Robin Van Persie. Welbeck’s instinct when playing for United is to find Van Persie, even if Danny is in the ‘D’ with a shot on goal.

So much so, that against Liverpool the defenders were happy to let Welbeck receive the ball in the 18-yard box as long as he did not have a route to find Van Persie.

For England Welbeck also had a hand in the first goal and the Manchester United forward, who has scored six times in his last seven England matches, will be missed in Kiev because of a yellow card, especially as his United team mate Wayne Rooney is sidelined and Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge is also unlikely to play because of injury.

Welbeck showed brilliant skill in the build-up to the first goal by Gerrard, who scored with a low strike after 12 minutes, before Lambert made it 2-0 with a header in the 26th. Welbeck wrapped up the victory by scoring either side of halftime.

Would it be worth asking Van Persie to drop in behind Welbeck for Moyes?
Would it be worth dropping Van Persie to the bench to let Welbeck run free as the top striker?

The result gave England the perfect lift ahead of Tuesday's more difficult game in Ukraine, who kept alive their chances of qualifying for next year's finals in Brazil with a 9-0 rout of San Marino.
But England manager Roy Hodgson, delighted with the three points, was not happy that Welbeck, who had an outstanding game, was booked and will miss Tuesday's match.

Welbeck was handed what appeared to be a soft yellow card from Slovakian referee Ivan Kruzliak for kicking the ball at the exact moment the referee blew the whistle for an offside shortly before halftime.
It was his second booking of the campaign and he proved just how much he will be missed in Ukraine when he scored his first of the match moments later and his second five minutes after the break.

"The yellow card has overshadowed the win for me," Hodgson told reporters.
"You will have to work very, very hard to persuade me that was a booking. He has got a yellow card, he is out of the game, we will live with it and deal with it. Did I think it was a yellow card or the right decision? No, I didn't."
The match was effectively over by the break after England dominated the first 45 minutes as Gerrard, Jack Wilshere and Frank Lampard, winning his 99th cap, took a firm grip on midfield with the skipper playing as the defensive lynchpin.