Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal warns Robin van Persie can be dropped

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has warned Robin Van Persie he can be dropped in the future to make way for Wayne Rooney up front.

After forging a close relationship during their time together at the Netherlands national team, the Dutch striker has been one of van Gaal's favourite and his first choice number nine since the manager arrived at Old Trafford this summer.

The former Arsenal star has started 23 Premier League games this season, scoring 10 goals, while summer signing Falcao has only made the starting line-up eleven times.

Van Gaal has opted to deploy the pair together up front in recent games but some pundits, including former Old Trafford legend Paul Scholes, have questioned the manager's decision suggesting Rooney should return to his position in the attack.

When asked if there may come a point where he considers replacing Falcao with Rooney in attack, Van Gaal said that not only is the Colombian international at risk of being dropped but so is van Persie.

"It is not only for Falcao but also van Persie," he said on the club's official website. "You are putting this question in the same way as [you asked about] van Persie, but there are more aspects to a striker."

Nevertheless and even though van Gaal has questioned Falcao a number of times this season he has now praised the Colombian, claiming he adds a lot to his attack apart from goals.

"You have seen the header back to [Chris] Smalling from Falcao [for the first goal against Burnley in midweek], and that is also an aspect, an assist is also an aspect. [Being] available for your fellow players is also an aspect so I shall not judge only the goals. It is a bigger view on that."

Meanwhile, the boss has also pointed out that apart from Rooney, James Willson and Marouane Fellaini are also up in the battle for a starting role in his attack.

"I am looking for different kinds of strikers," he stated. "I have five strikers as you know.

"He [Roy Hodgson] has to compare Rooney with other strikers in his line-up and that is another consideration I have to make. I have to choose between Falcao, van Persie and all the other strikers I have, then it is my consideration and that is different."