Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger can understand the motivation behind Robin van Persie's stunning form.

Having been sidelined in previous seasons, Wenger knows his captain is revelling in his new-found opportunity.

"When you see the player that arrived and the player he is today then you have to give him a lot of credit," the manager told arsenal.com. "His transformation has been exceptional.

"We have all played football because we wanted to enjoy it. He is a football lover. He watches tapes and knows all about the game. Then he wants to be on the pitch. Maybe he has been so frustrated by being out so many times that he rates what a chance it is to play for Arsenal.

"He has had an outstanding season so let's hope we can keep him fit. He has played I think 48 games in the calendar year. That is the most he has played.

"He is talented and now he is the leader of the Club. At a club like Arsenal that is not easy and he does it remarkably well."