Arsenal fans should give Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas a good welcome... I wish he had never left us, says Arsene Wenger

Arsenal face Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday afternoon
Cesc Fabregas makes his first return to his former club in the clash
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger wants fans to respect ex-players
The Gunners had the chance to re-sign Fabregas but he went to Chelsea 
Wenger refuses to say if he regrets that but admits he wishes he never left

Arsene Wenger has called on Arsenal supporters to give Cesc Fabregas the reception he deserves when he makes his return to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

 

The midfielder excelled at Arsenal but has not been back since he left for Barcelona in 2011.

 

The fact he moved to Chelsea on his summer return to English football has no doubt been a sore point, but Wenger said: 'I want every player to be respected, and Cesc Fabregas, when he comes to the Emirates on Sunday, should be respected like he deserves.'

 

 

Cesc Fabregas returns to Arsenal on Sunday and Arsene Wenger hopes fans will give him a good reception

 

• SHARE PICTURE

Copy link to paste in your message

Wenger wants 'respect' for the club's former players and counts Fabregas as a man who deserves that

 

Copy link to paste in your message

Gunners fans offer their good luck to Fabregas in 2011, but the reception is likely to be more frosty this time

 

Asked if he regretted not signing Fabregas in the summer when he had the option to, Wenger added: 'The regret I have is that he wanted to leave here.

'This club and myself had a very positive influence on Cesc’s life, so I would be a bit uncomfortable to have to justify today why he is not here. I believe I would rather it was the other way around.'

 

Fabregas set up Diego Costa's goal in Chelsea's 2-0 win in the reverse fixture at Stamford Bridge in December and was booed by the away end whenever he was in possession of the ball. 

Arsene Wenger: I regret that Cesc Fabregas wanted to leave

Copy link to paste in your message

The midfielder set up Diego Costa to seal a 2-0 victory for Chelsea against Arsenal earlier this season

 

Fabregas, 27, has been integral to the Blues' Barclays Premier League title challenge this season after joining from Barcelona last summer.

He has managed three goals and 16 assists in the Premier League since his return to the English top flight.

 

Wenger is expected to be without Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mikel Arteta on Sunday, while Per Mertesacker is '50-50' for the game having missed training for much of this week.

 

Fabregas gets ahead of his now-team-mate Branislav Ivanovic to score against Chelsea for Arsenal in 2010