Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck has shrugged aside criticism of his goalscoring record by former boss Louis van Gaal.

Welbeck grew up at Manchester United but when the Dutchman arrived last summer he quickly dispensed with the England international, allowing him move to rivals Arsenal at the end of the summer transfer window.

Van Gaal said Welbeck could not match the “standard” of Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie at Old Trafford but Welbeck remains unfazed by the criticism.

“Everyone is entitled to their opinion – some you like, some you don’t,” Welbeck told the BBC.

“It’s football, it’s life. You deal with it.”

Welbeck has found the net eight times for his new club this season – compared to Rooney and van Persie who have scored 14 and ten goals respectively for United.

He says it has been a tough year adapting to life at a new club and finding his feet with new teammates but he believes the goals will flow once he has settled in North London.

“I think I’ve put in a few good performances and been a bit unlucky on the goals front, which is something I know will come in abundance once I come to know everything spot on with the club.”

Welbeck scored the goal that knocked Manchester United out of the FA Cup quarter finals and Arsenal go in search of back-to-back Wembley finals when they take on Reading on Saturday.

The Gunners are 1.22 favourites to defeat the Championship side, with Reading on offer at 11.01 and the draw at 5.90.