Samir Nasri's four-word comment about Arsene Wenger after leaving Arsenal summed him up

Samir Nasri's relationship with Arsenal fans quickly became toxic when he left to join rivals Manchester City, but he showed a different side by defending Arsene Wenger even after his departure

Samir Nasri showed his true colours by coming to the defence of Arsene Wenger when he was under fire at Arsenal, saying it’s "impossible to criticise him" in spite of his bad-blood with the London club.

Two of Nasri’s former sides – Arsenal and Manchester City – face off this Sunday in a Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium. In what has become an increasingly heated fixture in recent times, City will look to close the gap on Arsenal to just three points, while the Gunners need all three points to keep pace with runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool. And there is no doubt over who Nasri will be cheering on.

Before his two league titles at the Etihad Stadium, the now-retired Frenchman was a fan-favourite in north London. He was signed from Marseille in 2008 and, under the tutelage of compatriot Wenger, became a standout player in his three years at Arsenal.

After a stellar 2010/2011 campaign and with the club looking to him as their focal point after Cesc Fabregas’ departure, however, he suddenly opted to leave in the summer of 2011. Not only that, the winger would join City, becoming the fourth Arsenal player to quit the club for the Abu Dhabi-funded side in a short space of time, following the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure and Gael Clichy.

He was booed in his final game – a defeat to Liverpool – by those who formerly adored him, and was accused of betraying the club who had helped propel his career. The already-deteriorated relationship with Arsenal fans was severed completely when he appeared to suggest he left for financial reasons.

“I don't have any regrets,” Nasri said after joining City. “Yes, economically I have a better life now than what I had at Arsenal. It's normal. If I said to you tomorrow that there is another journal, as serious as your journal, that offers you three times your salary, I think you are going to go there! But my first motive was to win trophies."

He sparked the wrath of the Gunners faithful further in 2014 by moving to clarify his comments, telling The Telegraph that he left to win trophies and pointing to Arsenal's lack of silverware in his three years at the club. He also told beIN Sport: "I don't regret leaving Arsenal. I won the league while Arsenal have difficulty finishing fourth."

His comments unsurprisingly resulted in a hostile reception each of the seven times he represented City against his former side, with no love lost on the pitch either as he clashed with ex-Gunners midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong on one occasion.

And so it came as a shock that he displayed a classy gesture towards Wenger while the legendary manager was facing increasing pressure to step down from his long-time role. A growing section of Arsenal fans were calling for Wenger’s exit, while the media questioned whether the Frenchman had lost his mojo after a woeful run of results between January and April 2017.

No one would have expected Nasri, who was on a season-long loan to Sevilla from City at the time, to defend Wenger, as he said: "You cannot criticise a guy like that, it is impossible. Arsenal was a big club but he made it even bigger. People need to be fair. It is not because Arsenal don't have success in the league that it's his fault, that is the players who are on the pitch, it's the players who do not get the results.”

He revealed that while his relationship with the fans was in ruin, it was never personal with Wenger and he still held a great deal of respect for Le Professeur. "It's hard for me to say something about him because I owe him a lot of things,” Nasri said.

“I came to the Premier League because of him and I have had a good career because of him too. He gave me confidence and he made me a better player and I just think all the players who played with him, when they left they became better players.”

He also said: "Wenger is the best coach I've worked with. I only regret not having more discussions with Arsene when I left. He's the one who understood me the most and made me the player I am. I'm thankful."

Wenger finally left in 2018 after a torrid final season in charge, ending Nasri’s ties with the north Londoners completely. Six years later, he admitted he would root for City over the club he made 125 appearances for when they next faced each other.

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