Robin van Persie set for surprise Manchester United return... one week after David Moyes is sacked



Van Persie could return to play under Giggs after recovering from injury

Dutchman was expected to be sidelined for rest of the season

The striker's national coach Van Gaal is expected to take over from Moyes

Lindegaard has backed Giggs to continue after a rousing team talk



Ryan Giggs’ hopes of winning four straight games as Manchester United manager have been boosted by news that Robin van Persie is approaching match fitness.



Few players embodied the up-and-down tenure of sacked United boss David Moyes better than Van Persie.



The Dutch striker has struggled with injury all season and was not expected to play again this term after injuring his knee last month.

VIDEO Scroll down to watch Robin van Persie coming back from injury



Van man: Robin van Persie (L) is ready to play in Ryan Giggs' final three games of the season

Down and out: Van Persie has not played since picking up an injury against Bayern Munich on March 19 Tensions? The Dutchman was expected to miss the rest of the season... until David Moyes was sacked

With suggestions of issues between the player and Moyes refusing to go away all season, Van Persie has recently been recuperating from his latest setback in Holland.



But no sooner had Moyes left than Van Persie was back in training at Carrington and now interim manager Giggs is refusing to rule out a return for the 30-year-old this weekend against Sunderland.



Asked about a return to action for Van Persie, Giggs said: ‘We’ll just have to wait and see how he goes this week. He came back last Friday and he trained well.



‘He just needs to work on his fitness now so, yeah, he looked great.’



United are continuing their talks with Holland manager Louis van Gaal this week as they look to replace Moyes. The official line is that the club are talking to other candidates, but Van Gaal remains the stand-out option and agreement could be announced by the end of the week.

The future is orange? Van Persie's national coach Louis van Gaal (L) is expected to take over at United

Man hug: The Holland striker had a special relationship with Sir Alex Ferguson after joining United

There were suggestions in Holland last night that one sticking point may be the size of the coaching entourage he wishes to bring to Old Trafford. United, though, said privately last week that they were willing to be flexible on that matter.



The Dutch FA are understood to want the situation clarified so their plans for the summer’s World Cup are not too badly affected.



United are sympathetic but cannot afford to make an appointment without considering all candidates — a mistake they appeared to make when giving Moyes the job after Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement.

Homegrown: Many United supporters would like to see Ryan Giggs get the job permanently Just like old times: Ryan Giggs has brought Paul Scholes (R) back in to coach at Old Trafford

Jump for joy: Wayne Rooney celebrates scoring in the 4-0 win against Norwich - Giggs' first game

Giggs won his first game in charge 4-0 against Norwich on Saturday and has winnable games against Sunderland on Saturday then Hull City a week tonight, before a trip to Southampton on May 11.



The Welshman being in charge has seemingly already lifted the atmosphere and reserve goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard offered an insight as to what the 40-year-old has brought to the dressing room in his new role.



Writing in a newspaper in Denmark, Lindegaard said: ‘Some might question whether it can work to go from being a team-mate to the manager from one day to the next.



‘Normally I have my reservations, but Giggs’ case is another matter.



‘Ryan Giggs has always held a kind of professional distance to his team-mates.



‘He opened his mouth when it was relevant and people have always listened.

Dutch of class: Van Persie will be hoping to replicate the form that helped United win the title last season

Cut from the same cloth: Giggs bears managerial similarities to Ferguson, according to Anders Lindegaard



‘The parallels with Sir Alex Ferguson are striking, and it is clear that Giggs has been learning from the most awe-inspiring football manager.



‘His last speech before the team went on the pitch before the match against Norwich was spine-tingling in a way that I have only experienced from Sir Alex Ferguson.



‘It probably sounds rather naive and impetuous but to me we are dealing with a new Pep Guardiola.’

