Robin van Persie
van Persie has starred for Arsenal this year. REUTERS

Arsene Wenger has admitted that Robin van Persie is showing qualities that are similar to prolific goalscorer Thierry Henry, as the Gunners continue their climb back to the top of the Premier League table.

Van Persie has now scored 18 goals already this season, with 14 in the league and four in Europe to take the Gunners to qualification for the final 16 of the European tournament.

And with six goals in his last five games, including netting the ball against Wigan at the weekend to take Arsenal to a 4-0 win, van Persie now has 32 goals for the calendar year. And if he scores two more, the Dutchman will break Henry's record of 34 goals in 2004.

And Wengerm who lost Henry to Barcelona in 2007, believes that van Persie is displaying qualities that remind him of one of England's best imports in the history of the game.

"It is amazing, because they have similarities," he said. "They are not goalscorers, they are footballers we expect to create something special."

Van Persie has not just been contributing to Arsenal's goal tally, but also providing motivation for his teammates in the dressing room, after the 28 year old was made captain of the club in the summer.

And Wenger believes that with the star hitman's contributions, the Gunners can get back into contention for trophies again, after they narrowly missed out on being in contention on all platforms last season.

Though Wenger believes that it's not only van Persie's wild run of form that is bringing Arsenal back from the wilderness; the Frenchman believes that a team effort can be attributed with the north London club's recent success.

"The combinations are much quicker. We want to do well and the mentality of the team is good. We are on the way back," he said.

Arsenal now move on to face Olympiakos in their last Champions League group stage match, and van Persie is likely to be rested for the tie. The side will then meet Everton at home, followed by the away draw that no one wants to endure - Manchester City at Etihad Staidum.

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