RVP Glad To Get Off The Mark

Having been afforded a rousing ovation by a packed Old Trafford on his home debut, Robin van Persie was delighted to return the favour with a breath-taking goal in the Reds’ win over Fulham.

The Dutchman scored a fabulous equaliser to cancel out Damien Duff’s opening goal and generally impressed as United edged out the Cottagers in a five-goal affair.

While conceding that his home bow was a ‘different’ experience van Persie admitted it was an afternoon to savour, telling MUTV: “I think I’ll always look back on this game; that we won on my home debut and that I scored a good goal.

“It was different, of course. I came here a couple of times before but I always liked this stadium, the size of it. The pitch is big, the pitch is always nice. Now I’m a United player, everyone knows that and I’m looking forward to this challenge. The fans have been brilliant today, supporting us and they gave me a very warm welcome, so I’m very pleased.

“It was a bit nervy, but we held on and the main thing was that we got the points today, so that’s out of the way and it was a good day in the end, a good three points.”

Despite the sublime technical skill required to execute his tenth-minute strike against the Cottagers, the Dutchman modestly insisted that luck had played a part.

“I think I could only do one thing there because it came with a little bit of a bounce,” he said, “and so I had to time it well. Sometimes you’re lucky and I was today, luckily enough.”

Though the Reds are now off and running, with van Persie making a quick integration to the attack – rendered even more important by Wayne Rooney’s gashed thigh – the Dutchman insists there is much more to come on a personal and collective basis.

“Training sessions have been very good and with all the guys it’s a process,” he said. “I have to get used to them, they have to get used to me, because I’ve still only been here a week. We have all the time in the world. I don’t want to rush into things.

“I’m not one hundred percent match fit, it’s my first game of the whole pre-season in over a month so I have to get fitter and fitter. I’ll get fitter by playing games, basically, so I still need a couple of weeks before I’m fully match fit.”