7 Insane Robin Van Persie Stats No One Talks About

When people talk about the all-time greatest strikers in the Premier League, names such as Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, Andy Cole and Michael Owen are quick to be mentioned. 

However, Manchester United striker Robin van Persie, who may well be the club's next captain with Louis van Gaal in charge, is probably being sold short when it comes to his reputation as a striker in this league.

Do you know how many players have a better goals-per-game rate than Van Persie? Do you know where his scoring record ranks amongst all the Dutch players to compete in this league? Do you know how he compares to the top scorers in the Champions League?

It turns out that Van Persie probably deserves more credit than he gets, if these statistics are anything to go by.

Top Ten Premier League Scorers

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Van Persie is the 10th-highest scorer in the Premier League history, ahead of the likes of Ian Wright, Dwight Yorke, Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba.

The Dutchman has a strike rate of 0.53 goals per game, which ranks him higher than several strikers above him in the top 10, including Frank Lampard (0.3), Teddy Sheringham (0.35), Les Ferdinand (0.42), Robbie Fowler (0.43), Andy Cole (0.45), Michael Owen (0.46) and Wayne Rooney (0.46).

In fact, only Alan Shearer (0.59) and Thierry Henry (0.68) have a better goals-per-game scoring rate than Van Persie, of all the players who feature in the top 10.

Dutchman in the Premier League

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In 2011, Van Persie became one of just four Dutchman to score more than 50 goals in the Premier League. He now has 134 goals in the league, which means he has outscored all of his other countrymen.

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has 127 Premier League goals, Ruud van Nistelrooy has 95 and Dennis Bergkamp has 87.

All-Time Top Holland Scorer

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Having turned 30 a few months earlier, Van Persie replaced Patrick Kluivert's as Holland's all-time top scorer after scoring three goals against Hungary in 2013.

He has a scoring rate of 0.5 goals per game, and in just 82 appearances for Holland, he has scored more goals than the likes of Johan Cruyff, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Dennis Bergkamp.

Premier League Player of the Month

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After eight seasons of playing in the Premier League, Van Persie has been named Player of the Month an impressive five times.

To put that into context, only Steven Gerrard, with 16 years in the Premier League, has claimed that honour more times than the Dutchman, winning it six times.

Wayne Rooney, with four more seasons in England than Van Persie, equals the five awards.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Paul Scholes, Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Frank Lampard and Alan Shearer have won it four times.

Champions League Record

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Van Persie is ranked in the top 30 scorers in Champions League history, thanks to the 25 goals goals he has scored for Manchester United and Arsenal in the competition.

His scoring rate of 0.42 goals per game ranks him above the likes of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Samuel Eto'o, Hernan Crespo, Wayne Rooney and Kaka.

2011-12

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In 2011-12, Van Persie had his most individually successful season of his career, scoring 37 goals in 48 games in all competitions for Arsenal.

He was the Premier League's top scorer and therefore won the Golden Boot. He was voted the PFA Player of the Year by the players and the fans. He was also named the FWA Player of the Year and, unsurprisingly, the Arsenal Player of the Year.

Only four players in Premier League history have scored more goals than Van Persie did that season, and they are Luis Suarez (31), Cristiano Ronaldo (31), Alan Shearer (34) and Andy Cole (34).

Debut Season at United

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Whilst the previous season was the year Van Persie really shone, his moments of brilliance on the pitch were not rewarded with any silverware at Arsenal. He had to wait until the following season to lift a trophy and finally be able to call himself a champion in England.

According to WhoScored.com, in Van Persie's first season at Manchester United, he racked up a total of 34 goals and assists in 35 starts.

That rate of 0.97 goals/assists per start put him head and shoulders above the other star players in the league. 

Luis Suarez had 0.85 goals/assist per start, Juan Mata had 0.77 and Gareth Bale had 0.76.