Robin van Persie claims he would bully Arsenal defender David Luiz if he were playing now

Arsenal centre-back David Luiz's poor display against Manchester City, in their opening game of the Premier League since the coronavirus shutdown, has seen him take his place in the eye of a storm with criticism coming in from all corners. The Brazilian defender received flack for his inconsistency, leading to two goals for Man City, who ultimately ran away with the game. Now, former Arsenal and Manchester United star Robin van Persie has claimed that he would 'bully' Luiz if he were playing now. 

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Robin van Persie claims he would bully David Luiz on the pitch

David Luiz returned to the Arsenal starting XI against Sheffield United in the FA Cup quarter-final. However, he had to be replaced in the 54th minute after sustaining an injury. Before the kick-off, Robin van Persie shared a piece of advice with Sheffield United forwards while facing the centre-back. While speaking on a pre-match event for BT Sport, Robin van Persie claimed that if he played against Luiz, he would simply go up to him in an attempt to bully him. 

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Robin van Persie sheds light on David Luiz's weaknesses

Robin van Persie stated that he would try to make physical contact with David Luiz in an attempt to infuriate him. He said that the Brazilian defender was vulnerable to physical gameplay. The Arsenal legend asserted that a 24-year-old David Luiz was world-class, but age has been a hindrance to his displays on the field. He cited the fact that he was 33 already, which makes him vulnerable. 

Robin van Persie claimed that David Luiz could defend well, but he is yet to work on his silly mistakes. It is these silly mistakes that help his opponents and cost his side three points, said the former Arsenal striker. This was Luiz's first start since the debacle against Man City when he had a role in conceding two goals. In the first event, he failed to defend a ball and rather unintentionally directed it towards Raheem Sterling. In the second incident, he brought down Riyad Mahrez inside the penalty area after which he was sent off. 

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FA Cup draw: Arsenal to face Man City

Despite the debacle, David Luiz has penned down a new deal with the Gunners. The new contract extends his stay at the Emirates at least for one more season. His contract was facilitated by Mikel Arteta's fondness for the defender, with the manager reportedly claiming that his experience on the field helped Arsenal as a whole. Meanwhile, the FA Cup draw for the semi-finals will see Arsenal play Man City, while Man United will go up against Chelsea in a classic FA Cup encounter. 

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Image courtesy: Van Persie Twitter, AP