Should Manchester United have kept Hernandez and Welbeck?

Between them, Manchester United strikers Robin van Persie, Wayne Rooney, James Wilson new loan signing Radamel Falcao have scored 25 goals in all competitions so far this term, with the Dutchman netting the bulk of those, having dispatched 10 times.

In the summer, the Red Devils, 11/4 with Coral to win the FA Cup, sold Danny Welbeck to Arsenal for £16m and offloaded Javier Hernandez to Real Madrid on loan for a season. However, with an apparent lack of goals from the Man United forwards this term compared to campaigns under Sir Alex Ferguson, would it have been prudent to keep at least one of Welbeck and Hernandez?

It also raises the question as to whether they were right to take Falcao on loan, with the Colombian only scoring four.

What could be argued about Welbeck is that, although he wasn’t as clinical as a forward perhaps should be, when he played, United seemed more fluid with the player’s movement and intelligence often creating space for the likes of Rooney and Van Persie, and he also had an eye for a pass.

Currently, Louis van Gaal’s side seem to miss this component at the moment, and United’s loss is Arsenal’s gain. The Gunners look more dynamic in attack this season, especially when Welbeck has played. Although, he has only netted seven goals while he has been at the Emirates, the 24-year-old has missed four Premier League matches through injury. He is starting to come back to full match fitness, and won the penalty last time out against Crystal Palace, again highlighting his effectiveness.

Hernandez could also be relied on while he was at Old Trafford, and very often scored crucial goals in big games. Although, realistically, Real Madrid signed him as a back-up and alternative to Karim Benzema, it was a much better option than being behind Van Persie, Rooney, Falcao and Wilson in the pecking order, and you couldn’t blame anyone for wanting to play for the best team in the world.

As a result, he has only netted three goals and contributed two assists in 10 La Liga appearances; however, this only equates to 198 minutes, and admittedly isn’t a bad record at all. There is certainly credible cause to suggest that his record would be much better than Falcao’s this season had he stayed at Old Trafford, and Van Gaal may regret loaning him out.