Arsene Wenger believes Cesc Fabregas will come of age this season and prove that Arsenal don't need to spend big money to win the Premier League title.
The 20-year-old has been seen as the most talented of Wenger's young prodigies for several seasons, but now the Spaniard has added goal-scoring to his game, making him the complete midfielder in the eyes of his manager.
He scored his fourth goal in six matches to help Arsenal to a 3-1 win over Portsmouth on Sunday, equalling his total for the whole of the previous season.
Wenger is convinced Fabregas is capable of being the kind of world-class playmaker who can ensure that Arsenal compete with Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool for the English game's top honors.
He drew a comparison with the way Paul Scholes combines a striker's instinct with the ability to influence matches from midfield.
"He has a lot of characteristics of Scholes," Wenger said. "The frame, intelligence in the game, passing, when to go into the box. He is only 20 and people forget that. I made a tape of him last year and you wouldn't believe how many chances he had. When he was a young boy he scored goals. That is a nice disease to have."
"Sometimes it disappears but it always comes back when you mature physically and mentally," he said. "When you go into the senior game you can lose it but if you did it in the youth team you can take advantage of positive situations anywhere."
Arsenal were at their eye-catching best against Portsmouth.
They took the lead after seven minutes when David James brought down Robin van Persie and Emmanuel Adebayor stroked home the penalty for his first goal of the season.
Fabregas got the second with a close-range strike after Gilberto Silva had flicked on a corner.
Philippe Senderos' dismissal early in the second half for a professional foul on former Arsenal striker Nwankwo Kanu did little to disturb Arsenal's rhythm.
Tomas Rosicky punished slack Portsmouth marking to extend Arsenal's lead and Kanu's strike a minute later was no consolation.
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