'I played for both Arsenal and Man City but I'm only loyal to one of my former clubs'

Arsenal play big to Manchester City successful the Premier League this afternoon, and 1 ex-player who represented some clubs volition beryllium rooting connected 1 successful peculiar aft revealing wherever his loyalty lies

Samir Nasri has confessed that his bosom lies with Manchester City - contempt his clip astatine Arsenal.

The Frenchman spent 3 seasons with The Gunners earlier parting ways with the Emirates for the Etihad successful 2011, wherever helium went connected to assistance 2 Premier League titles, a League Cup and a Community Shield. And portion the 37-year-old whitethorn bespeak connected his clip spent successful northbound London with fondness, helium has yet explained that helium preferred his clip with Manchester City.

Speaking during past season's Champions League coverage, Nasri was asked who helium sided with erstwhile the Cityzens spell up against the Gunners. And helium didn't flinch erstwhile helium responded successful favour of City.

However, erstwhile asked to broadside with either City and his boyhood nine of Marseille, helium said with a wry smile: "Marseille, ever Marseille." Nasri came up done the younker ranks of the Ligue 1 giants successful 2004, spending 4 years with the nine earlier signing for Arsenal.

The cardinal midfielder was a monolithic diagnostic nether Arsene Wenger, racking up 27 goals and 15 assists successful 127 games portion chasing Premier League glory. However, erstwhile helium decided to portion ways with the nine successful 2011, helium near a sour sensation successful the mouths of galore Arsenal fans - particularly fixed that the Gunners had mislaid Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure, and Gael Clichy astir the aforesaid time.

Nasri yet signed a four-year declaration with City astatine the time, to the tune of £25million - and aboriginal explained precisely wherefore helium made the determination to determination connected from the capital. He told The Telegraph successful 2014: "This representation of maine being 'materialistic' is simply a French thing.

"People were envious. It's fine. I truly hesitated a agelong time. There was (Manchester) United. City wasn’t the large nine it is close now. My cause told me, 'Do you privation to play successful the large club, already with a large past (United), wherever you volition beryllium conscionable 1 of them? Or play for Manchester City, who didn't triumph the league for 44 years, wherever if you triumph the trophy, you tin marque history'.

"I said, 'Oh, yeah, I privation to marque history'. In my archetypal year, I won the league. I don't person immoderate regrets. Yes, economically I person a amended beingness present than what I had astatine Arsenal. It's normal. If I said to you time that determination is different journal, arsenic superior arsenic your journal, connection you 3 times your salary, I deliberation you are going to spell there'. But my archetypal motive was to triumph trophies."

Nasri played successful 30 Premier League fixtures during his maiden play astatine the Etihad, scoring 5 goals and providing 9 assists arsenic helium helped usher the nine to its archetypal top-flight rubric successful immoderate 44 years. Under Roberto Mancini's guidance, City finished the 2011/12 run connected 89 points alongside their fierce rivals successful Manchester United - but a amended extremity quality allowed the Sky Blues to assistance the title.

Nasri's travel with City came to an extremity successful 2017, erstwhile helium transferred to Antalyaspor successful a £3.2m move. He spent conscionable 1 twelvemonth with the Turkish Super-Lig side, earlier stints with West Ham and Anderlecht. He retired from the world of shot successful September 2021.

It comes arsenic Arsenal are acceptable to play big to Manchester City successful the Premier League connected Sunday afternoon. Under Mikel Arteta, second-place Arsenal volition anticipation to span the spread betwixt themselves and existent league leaders Liverpool with a triumph connected location soil.

The Gunners person been successful outstanding signifier this season, and participate the fray undefeated successful the league since their 1-0 decision by Newcastle United backmost successful November. City, meanwhile, person looked a acold outcry from their unstoppable selves this season, with 12 wins, 5 draws and six losses to amusement for their 23 games played.

Undefeated successful the English top-flight since December, Pep Guardiola volition anticipation to transportation connected the side's emphatic tally of signifier arsenic of precocious - with a 3-1 triumph implicit Chelsea successful their past fixture, arsenic good arsenic a 6-0 thrashing of Ipswich earlier successful January moving wonders for the outfit's levels of confidence.

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