Robin van Persie Suffers Further Manchester United Setback

Robin van Persie is set to miss Holland's friendly against France – leaving him a doubt for Manchester United's trip to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday.

The 30-year-old had been set to start against Les Blues in a friendly in Paris on Wednesday evening but is "is sick in bed" and did not train with the rest of the squad on Tuesday, according to national team coach Louis van Gaal.

The Holland manager, who is also likely to be without Swansea City goalkeeper Michel Vorm and Rafael van der Vaart, added that van Persie's place in his World Cup squad was assured regardless of his participation in remaining friendlies, but the striker's illness presents a more immediate problem for his club.

United take on West Brom in Saturday's earlier kick off at 12:45pm (GMT) leaving van Persie with little time to recover from illness and prove his fitness to David Moyes.

Despite recent speculation suggesting the former Arsenal skipper has grown dissatisfied with life at Old Trafford, van Persie remains an integral member of Moyes' first team and his absence would mark another setback for the player whose season has been plagued by injury.

The Dutchman missed almost the entire month of January through injury, a period that coincided with another miserable run of form for the club that saw them win just one of their opening five games of 2014.

Van Persie has scored four goals in six games since his return but it has not been enough to lift United who are now 12 points off fourth spot with their hopes of securing qualification for next season's Champions League fading quickly.

Following the visit to West Brom United face a run of fixtures that could shape the final third of their season. The current Premier League champions host Liverpool before welcoming Olympiakos to Manchester three days later with hope of turning around a 2-0 score line that sees them on the verge of elimination from the Champions League.

A trip to a resurgent West Ham follows, before Manchester City visit Old Trafford on March 25.