Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has backed misfiring Manchester United striker Robin van Persie to rediscover his talismanic form.

Van Persie scored in the 3-0 win over Hull City last week to end a four-game barren spell, but failed to build on it by drawing a blank in Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Stoke City.

United boss Louis van Gaal has previously warned him that he must start earning his place in the first XI, but Koeman, whose side host the Red Devils tonight, says that his fellow Dutchman will bounce back.

"Robin is one of the best strikers. He showed that and scored a great goal against Hull," the Saints boss told The Mirror.

"If you are a player at the highest level and you are not scoring or the team is not winning you know you will get criticised.

"He is a great player and is one of the best Dutch strikers we have but hopefully he will have another quiet game against Southampton."

Van Persie, a two-time winner of the Premier League's Golden Boot, has struck four times in 13 appearances this season.