In August Manchester United and Wayne Rooney inflicted a resounding 8-2 defeat on Arsenal, with Rooney netting a hat-trick. However, since then it is Robin van Persie who has lit up the Premier League. The division’s top scorer has found the net 18 times in 21 appearances with a rate of 97 minutes per goal and 23% chance conversion, compared with Rooney’s 13 goals at a still impressive 114 minutes per goal and 19% chance conversion.
Robin van Persie vs Wayne Rooney in Premier League 2011-12
| Robin van Persie | Premier League 2011/12 | Wayne Rooney |
| Arsenal | Team | Manchester United |
| 21 | Appearances | 19 |
| 1752 | Minutes On Pitch | 1486 |
| Goal Attempts | ||
| 18 | Goals | 13 |
| 97 | Mins per goal | 114 |
| 17 | Goals inside box | 8 |
| 1 | Goals outside box | 5 |
| 97 | Total shots (including blocked) | 90 |
| 58% | Shooting Accuracy | 56% |
| 23% | Chance Conversion | 19% |
| Passing | ||
| 992 | Touches | 1218 |
| 47 | Touches per game | 64 |
| 5 | Goal Assists | 3 |
| 48 | Chances created | 31 |
| 575 | Total Passes | 946 |
| 78% | Pass Completion % | 82% |
| 69% | Pass Completion in final third % | 75% |
| Crossing | ||
| 115 | Total Crosses | 17 |
| 24% | Cross Completion % | 24% |
| Dribbling | ||
| 42 | Dribbles | 33 |
| 60% | Dribble Completion % | 64% |
In terms of adding to all-round team play, the Dutchman has also been more influential to his team’s attacking play, with more assists (5), crosses (115) and chances created (48). However, Rooney sees more of the ball during a match with more touches and passes per game, reflecting his slightly deeper lying position for Manchester United. Rooney also boasts better pass (82%) and dribble (64%) completion rates.
MIDFIELD BATTLE VITAL FOR ARSENAL BUT UNITED HAVE THE EDGE
With the departures of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas in the summer, and the loss of Jack Wilshere to injury, much of Arsenal’s resurgence after a difficult start to the season has been due to the performances of Aaron Ramsey and Alex Song. However, this weekend the Arsenal pair will be given a severe test by the efficient Michael Carrick and the tenacious Park Ji-Sung, who has scored against Arsenal in two of his last three appearances against the Gunners.
While the Arsenal pair are important to Arsenal’s attacking and flowing football with far more touches per game, assists, chances created (66 versus 19) and better dribble completion rates, they are inferior to the Manchester United pair in most other regards.
Park and Carrick both have higher pass completion rates at an impressive 89% and 90% respectively, with Park possessing an impressive 86% pass completion in final third. The United midfielders also have the ability to blunt Arsenal’s midfield creativity with their defensive attributes. Carrick wins the most duels of the quartet (71%), Park wins more tackles (72%) and Carrick casts doubt on those who question his defensive capabilities with the best clearance (one every 39 minutes) and interception (one every 20 minutes) rates. Despite this the Arsenal pair have conceded far more fouls (64) than the United duo (9).
| Aaron Ramsey | Alexandre Song | Premier League 2011/12 | Park Ji-Sung | Michael Carrick |
| Arsenal | Arsenal | Team | Manchester United | Manchester United |
| 20 | 17 | Appearances | 12 | 13 |
| 1601 | 1457 | Minutes On Pitch | 642 | 903 |
| Goal Attempts | ||||
| 1 | 1 | Goals | 2 | 2 |
| 1601 | 1457 | Mins per goal | 321 | 451.5 |
| 38 | 7 | Total shots (including blocked) | 11 | 10 |
| 43% | 50% | Shooting Accuracy | 63% | 40% |
| 3% | 17% | Chance Conversion | 25% | 40% |
| Passing | ||||
| 1631 | 1278 | Touches | 525 | 893 |
| 81.6 | 75.2 | Touches per game | 43.8 | 68.7 |
| 4 | 5 | Goal Assists | 1 | 1 |
| 43 | 23 | Chances created | 7 | 12 |
| 1306 | 1054 | Total Passes | 386 | 717 |
| 87% | 85% | Pass Completion % | 89% | 90% |
| 77% | 69% | Pass Completion in final third % | 86% | 77% |
| Duels | ||||
| 209 | 189 | Duels | 89 | 102 |
| 39% | 46% | Duels won % | 63% | 71% |
| Dribbling | ||||
| 33 | 20 | Dribbles | 15 | 5 |
| 61% | 70% | Dribble Completion % | 40% | 40% |
| Defending | ||||
| 35 | 50 | Tackles Made | 32 | 51 |
| 63% | 68% | Tackles Won % | 72% | 69% |
| 4 | 13 | Clearances | 4 | 23 |
| 400.3 | 112.1 | Mins per Clearance | 160.5 | 39.3 |
| 19 | 37 | Interceptions | 18 | 44 |
| 84.3 | 39.4 | Mins per Interception | 35.7 | 20.5 |
| Discipline | ||||
| 22 | 42 | Fouls | 2 | 7 |
| 23 | 15 | Fouls won | 16 | 14 |
| 1 | 0 | Offside | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | 6 | Yellow Cards | 0 | 1 |
| 0 | 0 | Red Cards | 0 | 0 |
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