This time last year the clamour to force Arsene Wenger out of the Arsenal hotseat was reaching fever pitch. But as I said at the time and on many occasions since, sticking with the most successful manager in the club’s history was always the right thing to do.

Whatever club you support you have to admire the way the Frenchmen continues to prove the doubters wrong and sticks to his principles of playing attractive football and building a team without breaking the bank.

Arsene still has that midas touch

Thierry Henry, Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie are just three of the star players who have deserted Wenger. But the Gunners boss knows how to put together a winning team on a limited budget – as new signings Santi Cazorla and Lukas Podolski are the latest arrivals to demonstrate. And you have got to give him enormous credit for that.

Eyebrows were raised when Wenger boldly declared, before this afternoon’s 1-1 draw against champions Manchester City, that his current squad is the best he has had during his time at Arsenal. But write the Frenchman off at your peril.

What Wenger told the Daily Star Sunday: “As a squad, I have more quality. This is the best since I have been here.When you consider the players out injured like Jack Wilshere, Tomas Rosicky and Emmanuel Frimpong, it only adds to what I believe. Yes, the best.”

– BY JOHN GUBBA

UNITED HUMILIATE THE GUNNERS AND STEAL CITY’S THUNDER, BUT IT IS TIME FOR FICKLE ARSENAL FANS TO STAND BY WENGER