Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says Robin van Persie is the best striker in the Premier League.

Wenger admitted last week he couldn't afford to rest his club captain.

He said: "He has made a big improvement on the mental side since he has arrived to this club. And I think the final step was the armband.

"Yes, he had a history of being a bit temperamental, but he is a guy who takes things on board."

Asked whether he was the best all-round striker in the Premier League, Wenger added: "This season, certainly, yes. The last six months, certainly the most efficient.

"He's not a typical goal-scorer. When you see him play it never comes to your mind that this guy is a goal-scorer. And then you look at the record and think he's not only a good player, he's as well a top class goal-scorer.

"For all the other goal-scorers you do the opposite. You think they do not contribute too much to the game but they score the goals. For him it's the opposite. You look, this is a good player. And then you see that he scores goals as well."