Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger thinks Robin van Persie is the London club's answer to Lionel Messi.
Van Persie brought his Arsenal goal tally to 100 when he bagged a well-taken double to help the Gunners end a difficult week on a high, with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over 10-man Bolton at the Emirates Stadium.
Van Persie racked up his ton in 239 appearances, 64 of which have come from the bench, and he is only the 17th player in the club's history to pass the 100 mark.
The 28-year-old's achievement is made all the more impressive by the fact that he started his career at Arsenal as a winger.
Over time, Wenger moved the Dutchman further up the pitch and he now operates as the focal point of the team's three-man attack.
Van Persie is far from the typical targetman, though. He sometimes drifts and drops deep, picking up the ball and penetrating defences.
That, according to Wenger, makes him a similar player to Barcelona's Messi, the world player of the year who scored 53 times last season.
