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Robin van Persie: 9-1 defeat evokes Man United 8-2 Arsenal

Heerenveen head coach Robin van Persie said that his team's 9-1 defeat at the hands of AZ Alkmaar in the Eredivisie on Saturday reminds him of when he lost 8-2 to Manchester United as an Arsenal player in 2011.

The 41-year-old, who succeeded Kees van Wonderen as head coach in May, has overseen an inconsistent start to the season as Heerenveen sit 12th in the Eredivisie table with one win, one draw and two defeats from their opening four matches.

Van Persie was captain of the Arsenal team that famously lost 8-2 to United at Old Trafford during the 2011-12 Premier League season -- a result that then-Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger described as "humiliating.