I'm surprised by Arsenal's evolution...and Rice has been key to that

IT HAS been 20 years since Arsenal last won the title, but Cesc Fabregas believes his former club are on the right track to return to the glory days of Arsene Wenger.

- Simon Collings

The Gunners are top of the Premier League with seven games to go and host Aston Villa in another big game at Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

Fabregas, who made more than 300 appearances in eight years at Arsenal, is pleased to see his old side fighting for major trophies again and has noticed an evolution in them this season.

In particular, he was impressed by the way they earned a point at Manchester City two weeks ago by adopting a style of play that caught him off guard.

"Slowly, slowly you see that this team is growing," Fabregas told Standard Sport. "This is 100 per cent a fact.

"You see the way they are competing in a different manner. The way they prepared the game against City, even I didn't expect it. I was expecting a completely different approach, but you see that they are managing maybe the situations a little bit better.

"They are getting this experience, the coaching staff and the players, to find different solutions. It is great to see and I do think they are very close to getting something very soon.

"They are on the right way, 100 per cent they are getting there, 100 per cent they are now Arsenal.