Soccer: Moyes laughs off talk that he's trodden on Van Persie's toes

David Moyes has dismissed as "complete nonsense" suggestions that Robin van Persie has become unhappy at Manchester United, insisting that injuries, rather than discontent, are the reason for the Dutch forward's frustration.

Speculation emanating from Holland has hinted at Van Persie being unimpressed by Moyes' management style, with the more intense training regime under the Scot, opposed to that of Sir Alex Ferguson, cited as a key grievance on the part of the 30-year-old.

Van Persie, who underwent a fitness test ahead of last night's fixture against Stoke City at Old Trafford after missing Thursday's Champions League victory against Real Sociedad with toe and groin problems, stated in Holland last month that he was "happy with the style of Moyes" and that he "prepares us with his staff very well".

Having missed four games this season due to injury, Van Persie has been unable to replicate the eye-catching form of last season - highlighted by statistics of his contribution to the team - but Moyes insists there is no substance to claims that he is not content at United.

"That's complete nonsense," Moyes said. "He had a couple of sore toes and I told him before the Southampton game last Saturday that, if I played him in that, he would miss the Sociedad game to try to give his toes and groin a rest.

"His groin was a bit affected and he has been playing with injections. He played with injections for Holland - the first game [of the international break] he played with an injection, the second he didn't.

"In previous games for us, he played with injections in his toes, so we were trying to get away from that. He's been bothered by it, taking injections in one of his small toes, and then he got the other one stood on at Shakhtar Donetsk as well, so his toes have been bothering him for a long time."

He described the rumours of discontent as "a load of rubbish. He has been great, fantastic".

Van Persie had scored eight goals in 11 games by this stage of the season 12 months ago. The Dutchman went into the game against Stoke (his 50th for United, if he played) with seven goals in 10 appearances so far this term, therefore giving him the opportunity to match last season's strike rate with a goal against Mark Hughes' team.

Away from goal, however, Van Persie's contribution has dropped in key areas such as assists, chances created for team-mates and his number of passes. In his first seven league outings last season, Van Persie created 11 chances and set up two goals. In the final seven games of last season, he created 16 chances and made one goal. However, in Van Persie's seven league appearances this season he has created just one scoring chance and had no assists.

Conversely, the striker has had more efforts on goal in his seven games this season - 27 - than in the final seven games of last term (26) and the first seven outings of his United career (18).

The statistics point to Van Persie's team ethic being diminished this season - at the same time as Wayne Rooney's star is beginning to shine brightly again - with the forward shooting rather than passing or assisting a team-mate.

Whether this is based on confidence from last season's return of 30 goals in 40 games or a determination to be greedier in front of goal, Moyes says he has no concerns over Van Persie's contribution.

"He's doing great," Moyes said. "He is doing some great stuff for us and contrary to what has been said, I've only found him fantastic to work with."

With United having won just one of their four home games in the league this season, Moyes said: "We need to be more clinical."