ROBIN VAN PERSIE GRABS A BRACE AGAINST GENCLERBIRLIGI

Robin van Persie grabbed a brace against Genclerbirligi in a 2-1 victory played over the weekend.

The striker has scored in every game in the last five matches save one in the Turkish Super Ligue. The former Arsenal striker moved to the Super Lig from Manchester United in the summer, signing a lucrative three-year contract to end his 11-year stint in the English top flight.

Even by Turkish standards, Van Persie's arrival in Istanbul was a spectacular affair. Thousands of fans lit flares and mobbed the Dutchman after he touched down at Sabhia Gokcen airport in Istanbul, and Van Persie addressed the jubilant crowd. The optimism surrounding Van Persie's arrival was somewhat dampened when they were knocked out of the Champions League in their qualifying play-off against Shakhtar Donetsk.

The Dutchman has eventually won the hearts of the fans after his initial drag. This season in the Super Ligue, he has 16 goals to his name. In the Turkiye Kupasi, he has five goals in his records scoring two double braces against Antalyaspor in December last year and the other against Giresunspor in January this year.

The former Feyenoord player switches between the left wing, right wing, supporting striker and central forward positions at the club. He grabbed his brace over the weekend in supporting striker role, playing the full length of the game. The striker has not had many injuries like he was known for in the Premier League where he spent over a decade. This season he missed just two games due to injury. He missed more matches in the Turkiye Kupasi. He also played most of the Europa League matches before they were knocked out by Braga, though he didn’t score any goal in the League aside his lone goal in the qualifiers. He was also left out of the Netherland friendlies ahead of the Euro next month in France.