Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has stood by his decision to sell Danny Welbeck to Arsenal, insisting that he did the striker a favour when he allowed him to leave.

The England international has impressed since joining the Gunners, netting five goals for his new club so far, but the Red Devils coach claims that he has no regrets about offloading the player.

"I think that a player who is playing mostly fixed in the team, he develops and always will," The Mirror quotes Van Gaal as saying. "He takes all the benefit from playing every week. That was a question mark with Manchester United. It's good to see he's doing what I thought.

"He could have also played for Manchester United. But we have decided that he could go and he has taken the benefit of it. He does very good at Arsenal. I cannot judge him so good. Now I shall see him and I shall judge him.

"But I don't think it is so important how I judge him because he is now playing for Arsenal. He's not a Manchester United player anymore so now we have to beat him also. He's not alone, we have to beat Arsenal."

Arsenal take on Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium this Saturday.