Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Tony Mogan

Van Persie tells Man Utd boss Solskjaer to 'just be angry' instead of smiling after defeat at Arsenal

Robin van Persie was critical of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s body language following Manchester United’s defeat to Arsenal, insisting the manager needs to get angry with his players.

United fell to their sixth defeat of the season on Wednesday night as Mikel Arteta picked up his first win as Arsenal boss.

After promising wins over Newcastle and Burnley over the festive period, United were dismal as they began 2020 with a whimper in north London, coming up woefully short as the Gunners collected a comfortable win.

In a post-game interview with BT Sport, Solskjaer was unfazed, laughing as he caught a replay of Arsenal’s two goals.

That reaction frustrated van Persie, who told the broadcaster: “I listen to Ole, he sounds like a really nice guy.

“But I would like to see him a bit more edgy, a bit more mean at times. It’s part of his job as well. Just be angry. I see him similing now after a game like that. That is not the moment to smile.”

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.