By Laura Williamson
Last updated at 1:06 AM on 13th January 2011

Arsene Wenger knew what to expect from Ipswich's hot property Connor Wickham.

'He is one of their star strikers. We know him well,' said the Arsenal manager in the build-up to the game.

'We have seen him many times. He is one of the players who can make a difference.'

Arsenal have been just one of the top Barclays Premier League clubs to express more than a passing interest in Ipswich's No 9, who scored England's winner as they beat Spain 2-1 to lift the Under 17 European Championship last May.

Gifted: Connor Wickham, 17, impressed against Arsenal, but Arsene Wenger will not have been surprised

Gifted: Connor Wickham, 17, impressed against Arsenal, but Arsene Wenger will not have been surprised

At the very least you can add Manchester United, Liverpool, Tottenham and Chelsea to that list.

'I have got some stick from the lads with the stories about me going to this club and that club,' the 17-year-old admitted in the programme for last night's game.

'It's all good banter but nothing more than that.

'I want to play at the highest level, to play against the best players around. Hopefully I can do that with Ipswich. I know I'm at the right club to progress.'

Wickham looks every inch a man in a man's game. With his 6ft 3in build and powerful shoulders he is reminiscent of the good old-fashioned English centre forward, yet he is armed with more invention and guile than the tag suggests.   

Last night, Ipswich caretaker boss Ian McParland employed Wickham wide on the left, with Tamas Priskin alone up front.

His discipline was impressive. He stuck to his role, stretching Arsenal's midfield as Ipswich attacked, while providing a defensive barrier when Theo Walcott broke for the opposition. 

Livewire: Wickham leaps Arsenal's Johan Djourou

Livewire: Wickham leaps Arsenal's Johan Djourou

After 30 minutes he cut inside, shrugging off the attentions of Jack Wilshere and threaded a pass through to Priskin.

There was then a barely disguised shove on Emmanuel Eboue two minutes later as the pair tussled for a stray ball. But it was Wickham who won the resulting throw-in.

He got the better of the Arsenal right back again after 39 minutes, whipping in a cross that just eluded Ipswich captain David Norris, and dispatched a powerful right-foot strike from 25 yards just before half-time.

There was another confident sprint past Eboue early in the second half and a good run down the left channel that would have put Wickham one-on-one with keeper Wojciech Szczesny if Priskin had not opted to shoot.

Just like you might see with Wayne Rooney, the striker to whom he is so often compared, there is a visibly growing sense of confidence.

By the start of the second half he was chatting casually to Walcott on the halfway line as the pair waited for the match to resume. He certainly did not look out of place in such company.