Can Cesc Fabregas live up to the performances of these former Arsenal stars…
As if the prospect of Chelsea taking on Arsenal this weekend wasn’t intriguing enough, the game will also mark former captain Cesc Fabregas’ first game against the Gunners.
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Reports in the Daily Mail explain how, after a spell with Barcelona, the Spaniard will come face to face with his former employers for the first time since leaving North London in 2011.
Previous Arsenal old boys have produced some mixed performances and received mixed receptions from the fans over the years – and everyone is wondering how Fabregas, who played 303 times for the club in an eight year spell, will be received by the travelling supporters at Stamford Bridge.
Here are how six other former Gunners fared against them:
6) Thierry Henry (Barcelona)
Arsenal’s greatest ever goalscorer returned in the 2010 Champions League quarter-final with Barcelona. He started on the bench at the Emirates, but replace Zlatan Ibrahimovic late on, after the Swede has scored twice in the 2-2 draw. He was unsurprisingly given a hero’s welcome.
5) Patrick Vieira (Juventus)
The midfield general returned in the Champions League quarter-final of 2006, having left for Juventus the previous summer. Despite a warm reception, Vieira was on the wrong end of a 2-0 scoreline and picked up a booking, which ruled him out of the second leg.
4) Gael Clichy (Manchester City)
Clichy made his first to the Emirates in 2012, receiving a lukewarm reception after some early boos. The crowd needn’t have worried as CLichy’s City side were undone by a late Mikel Arteta winner.
3) Robin van Persie (Manchester United)
The Dutchman was jeered by his old fans when Arsenal travelled to Old Trafford in 2012, shortly after the player’s move to Man United. It did not take long for him to remind them of what they were missing – he scored after just three minutes in a 2-1 United win.
2) Samir Nasri (Manchester City)
The Frenchman was given some horrendous abuse when he returned to the Emirates after his move to Man City in 2011. But Nasri had the last laugh as his new team won at Arsenal for the first time in 36 years to seal a place in the League Cup semi-finals.
1) Emmanuel Adebayor (Manchester City)
After swapping Arsenal for big-spending Man City in a £25m deal, the Togo striker scored against his former club at the Etihad. But there was no refusal to celebrate here. Adebayor sprinted the length of the pitch to revel in front of raging Arsenal supporters as City won 4-2. It did not go down well to say the least.
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