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Two games from history - but can Robin van Persie get the goals he needs to eclipse Alan Shearer & set new Premier League record?

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NALYSIS
By George Ankers

Thirty-four goals in 34 games.

It is a statistic worth taking the time to appreciate, as there is every chance that, in a fortnight’s time, it will be widely forgotten.

Robin van Persie dispatched a first-half penalty against Aston Villa on Wednesday but he has fallen slightly behind in his race to break the record for the most Premier League goals scored in a calendar year.

Arsenal’s very own Flying Dutchman is tantalisingly close to making history. The Villa Park spot-kick drew him level with former team-mate Thierry Henry but he still stands two behind Alan Shearer in the record books with two games to go.

The situation could not be more finely poised. If he continues on his average of exactly one goal per game, the superlative striker will finish 2011 on par with the then-Blackburn star, which would of course be an incredible achievement – but you sense that it might not be enough to avoid a feeling of disappointment.

Top Gunner | Van Persie has led by example as he reaches the brink of immortality

Until Sunday’s 1-0 defeat by Manchester City, Van Persie extraordinarily averaged more than one goal per match in 2011 and will respectfully be relishing the prospect of home fixtures against first Wolves and then QPR to round out the year.

CLOSING IN ON HISTORY
VAN PERSIE'S CURRENT RECORD
GAMES PLAYED GOALS SCORED AVERAGE GOALS PER GAME	34 34 1.00
HENRY'S RECORD IN 2004
GAMES PLAYED GOALS SCORED AVERAGE GOALS PER GAME	39 34 0.87
SHEARER'S RECORD IN 1995
GAMES PLAYED GOALS SCORED AVERAGE GOALS PER GAME	42 36 0.86

The Gunners’ final two opponents of the year rank 18th and equal-16th, respectively, in the goals-against column of the league table so far this season. Away from home, both sides have shipped an average of two or more goals per game.

A look into the past gives little away as to what we can expect. Thanks to the Black Country outfit’s lack of consistent participation in the Premier League and Van Persie’s own injury problems over the years, the 28-year-old has played only three matches against Wolves since his arrival in England, scoring twice.

Both of those goals went towards the record he currently chases, a brace netted when the two met at the Emirates Stadium in February of this year – so we know that the No. 10 knows how to score against Mick McCarthy’s side.

QPR, however, are more of an unknown quantity as far as the Netherlands international is concerned. Absent from the English top-flight for over a decade, the R’s have never crossed paths with Van Persie, though he will be more familiar with some of Neil Warnock’s back line.

Having shared a dressing-room at Arsenal for several years, the striker will know what to expect from Armand Traore, the fellow London side’s likely left-back of choice, while the likes of Luke Young, Anton Ferdinand, Danny Gabbidon et al are all veterans of various Premier League clubs. Van Persie should feel confident that there will be no nasty surprises in store on New Year’s Eve.

The opposing defences, then, look vulnerable and, though he failed to register in the defeat by City, the ex-Feyenoord man was unlucky