Robin van Persie: Relieved he had not suffered a broken toe

Van Persie suffered a foot injury during United's draw with Shakhtar Donetsk in the UEFA Champions League and played through the pain barrier in last weekend's win over Sunderland by taking a pain-killing injection.

The former Arsenal ace also played through the pain barrier to score a hat-trick in Friday's 8-1 World Cup qualifying win over Hungary to become Holland's all-time leading scorer and the 30-year-old insists he is not prepared to take any more pain-killing injections for his toe.

"Against Shakhtar I got such a hard kick on my toe, I immediately thought it was broken. It was so sore," van Persie is quoted as saying in the Sunday Mirror.

"On the Thursday, after returning to Manchester, I had a scan. Eight years ago I broke a bone on my other foot and it felt like a similar injury.

"I was so relieved there was no fracture visible, but doctors told me it was badly bruised. I was told to rest it, but I wanted to play against Sunderland.

"So we did what they call a quick fix. The medics gave me an injection.

"But I have said I won't do that again. If I keep having injections in my toe, it is not going to improve. It will get more sensitive and painful.

"I have to admit it was a gamble playing against Hungary. I'd not trained and you never know how that can work out when you play again."