Michael Carrick hopes that Manchester United team-mate Robin van Persie can score in Sunday’s clash against Tottenham, knowing that the Dutchman’s Arsenal connections would make a goal all the sweeter.

United travel to the capital to take on Spurs at White Hart Lane, knowing that a win would re-open their seven point lead at the summit of the Premier League table over cross-city rivals Manchester City.
Carrick feels that Van Persie has made a huge difference to the team since his £24 million summer switch from Arsenal and the England midfielder is looking for his colleague to add to his impressive haul of 21 goals already this season.

“Robin will get stick from the Spurs fans, I’m sure, but he won’t mind that and he’d love to score against them,” the former Spurs midfielder told The Sun.

“I don’t think we expected him to come in and score that many goals.

“It just seems like this was the right player to the right club for him at the right time. He’s come here and settled straight in and that’s exactly what we hoped for. He’s been terrific.”

“It was a good signing for us, giving us an extra threat. The other forwards have done well but Robin is grabbing all the headlines, and rightly so far, for what he’s done.”

United go into the Tottenham game in fine form, having picked up nine wins and a draw from their last 10 outings in the Premier League.