Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger: We're coping without Robin van Persie
ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger maintains his side are coping despite Robin van Persie's lack of goals.
The Dutchman's £24m departure last summer to Old Trafford has been cited as a key factor as to why Manchester United have disappeared out of sight in the title race.
Van Persie hit a hat-trick on Monday night during United's 3-0 win over Aston Villa to prove his undoubted talent as a top marksman.
Though Wenger has pleaded with disgruntled fans to show some 'respect' on his return, he also insists the club have managed to move on since he left.
Theo Walcott is the club's top scorer with 18 this season, while Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski are also into double figures with 17 and 14 goals respectively this campaign.
Wenger believes Arsenal have moved on and said at his press conference: "You always miss a big player, but the only thing I can say [is] it took us a while to get around it.
"However, if you look at the number of goals we've scored, it's similar to last season.
"It took us a while to find a different way because the game went through him a lot.
"We had to find a new balance between defending and attacking but now we are stabilised."