Thierry Henry has told L'Equipe that he hopes Arsenal do not suffer a title drought in the same manner as Liverpool have done, and believes the Gunners can win the Premier League in the near future.

Though the seven-point gap to leaders Chelsea may prove insurmountable over the final eight games, third-placed Arsenal look set for a tussle with Manchester City, who are just a single point ahead of Wenger's men, and Manchester United, who just one marker behind, for runners-up spot.

Henry, 37, was part of the last Arsenal side to lift the English crown after going through the entire 2003-04 top-flight season unbeaten, and having charted his former club's progress this term, the recently-retired striker believes Wenger is getting close to fashioning yet another title-winning side.

"If I had told you in 1990 that Liverpool would not win the title in the next 25 years, you would have taken me for a madman. I don't want the same thing to happen to Arsenal," Henry, who became Arsenal's all-time leading scorer during his time in north London between 1999 and 2007, explained.

"It's already been 11 years. This year, we're not so far off. With the exception of the first leg against Monaco, they are on the right track, but they undoubtedly dropped too many points at the start of the season. But I think this squad can win the title in the years to come."

Wenger, 65, has been the architect of Arsenal's transition into consistent challengers on both the domestic and European scene during his near two-decade tenure.

The Frenchman is also credited with turning Henry from an under-achieving winger into a world-feared goal scorer after bringing him to England from Juventus in 1999.

Having made little secret of his ambition of moving into coaching following the end of his playing career in December, Henry has been tipped to replace Wenger in the Arsenal dug-out.

Though he has been helping coach Arsenal's under-15 side, the former France international striker does not believe he is yet ready to step into his former boss' shoes.

"I don't have the pretension to be able to coach a team nor succeed Arsene Wenger. I just want to learn with the Arsenal youngsters. I just want to be ready if -- one day -- an opportunity presents itself.

"I am now realising it is not easy to prepare a session or to change it at the last minute when five players are missing. When you're a player, you don't bother with all that. Today, I'm discovering that dimension."

Henry says that Wenger, who signed a contract extension through to 2017 last season, had earned the right to decide when he will finally step down.

"It's up to him, and his desire to stay," he added. "He has changed the image and the dimension of the club. It's thanks to him that Arsenal is renowned for its football. He has legitimacy in his position. It's he who'll decide when he leaves."