The Manchester City midfielder told L'Equipe: "I still have warm feelings for Arsenal, but it's starting to become frustrating. They play the best football in England, yet they fail to win anything significant.

"I really enjoy watching them, but they lack the physicality to impose themselves. Arsenal don't have the killer attitude that a team like Manchester United have.

"[Tony] Adams, [Martin] Keown, [Nigel] Winterburn and [Ray] Parlour weren't as good with the ball as the current players, but they put their head where others won't even put feet."