Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck stole the headlines in the Gunners' Europa League win over Sporting Lisbon on Thursday night, as the England international scored the only goal of the game to maintain Unai Emery's 100% record in the second tier European competition.
A 77th minute strike from Welbeck was enough to give the north London side all three points, and it was the 27-year-old's second goal in the tournament this season and his 11th goal of 2018 - the most he's scored in a calendar year.
So, as Welbeck sparkles in the capital you have to question were Manchester United right to let their youth product move to a rival Premier League outfit as they continue to struggle in front of goal.
Welbeck featured in United's first-team between 2008 and 2014, before being let go by then United manager Louis Van Gaal, who felt Welbeck was not good enough to be part of the United squad and he duly ventured down south to the Emirates Stadium.
Currently behind Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the pecking order at the Gunners, United fans must rue the day Welbeck left Old Trafford, as the likes of Romelu Lukaku, Marcus Rashford, Alexis Sanchez and Anthony Martial struggle to gain any sort of consistency in front of goal.
Lukaku, in particular, has come in for huge criticism of late, with his performance against Juventus in the week being lambasted by most areas of the media, and the Belgian star's goal-scoring record since a positive World Cup is abysmal. Lukaku has only hit the back of the net four times all season and has played a whopping 800 minutes more than Welbeck, who has to contend with appearances in the League Cup and Europa League, while gaining the odd cameo in the Premier League.
Martial has scored four as well, with Rashford and Sanchez gaining a goal apiece, so you have to wonder if Welbeck was still at The Theatre Of Dreams then could he help Jose Mourinho get out this current negative run the Red Devils are on, and would they be a much more attractive side going forward. I think they would!
Speaking about Welbeck's departure from United in 2014, Gary Neville praised his former teammate for his ability as a centre forward saying, “The biggest thing is that his centre-forward play outside the box is sensational - his work-rate, and his touch – but it’s about his consistency of finishing. I think that will come from confidence and belief."
Currently showing that consistency of finishing this season, Welbeck has shown that he is a valuable asset for Arsenal, and United should rue the day they let him join the Gunners, as what Mourinho would do to have him at United right now.
