Skip to main content
Daily Mirror

Emmanuel Adebayor's message to friends about Arsenal suggests nothing has changed at club

Former Arsenal forward Emmanuel Adebayor has suggested not much has changed at the Emirates from when he lined up for the Gunners if last season's title capitulation is anything to go by

Emmanuel Adebayor has claimed he felt it would be difficult for Arsenal to win the Premier League last season even when they were several points ahead of Manchester City.

The Gunners shocked fans and pundits alike last season when they came close to securing a first league title since 2004, but poor form during the second half of the campaign saw Pep Guardiola's City side gain the upper hand and eventually run out as champions.


Adebayor has hardly had an ideal relationship with the Emirates faithful since he called time on his Arsenal career in 2009 to upsticks and join City at the start of the Sheikh Mansour revolution. However, rather surprisingly, he has admitted he was rooting for the Gunners during last season's title race.


Speaking to Sky Sports, the Togo international shed light on what often dented title dreams back when he was an Arsenal player as he explained: "Last season we were all rooting for them to win the league and they came very close.

READ MORE: Sky Bet free bets & signup offer - £40 in Free Bets when you place any betREAD MORE: Mikel Arteta could repeat William Saliba plan after Arsenal trio's advice to wonderkid

"We’d be first or second and then around February a player would get injured or suspended and that’s it. The league is gone. We had a great team but a young team, we needed a leader.

"So when I saw them starting to drop points, even when Man City were several points behind, I said listen to me, I don’t know whether there is a curse on the club but it’s going to be difficult for them to win the league."

Article continues below

Adebayor did go on to discuss how regardless of the Gunners falling short when it mattered most last term, the progress made by Arsenal under Mikel Arteta has been impressive and singled out one summer signing in particular.

HAVE YOUR SAY! Will Arsenal win the league this season? Comment below

Arsenal saw their title charge fall apart late last season
Arsenal saw their title charge fall apart late last season

"But let’s put it into perspective. Where they were coming from and what they did last year was incredible. They finished second and came so close to winning the league. With Declan Rice, they have bought some good players. They have actually invested to win the league and go far in the Champions League. It’s my old club and I wish them the best of luck."

Adebayor will be heartened by the start his old club have made this time around, with Arsenal still unbeaten in the league after eight games played. That run includes victories of both City and Manchester United, as well as a draw against local rivals Tottenham at the Emirates.

Watch the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League and much more
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
John Stones of Manchester City battles with Declan Rice of Arsenal during The FA Community Shield match between Manchester City against Arsenal
£30.99 a month and get access to discovery+ Premium at no extra cost
TNT Sports
Get TNT Sports here

TNT Sports gives you access to games across the Premier League, Champions League, Europa League, Serie A and many more. You can also watch the biggest clashes in boxing, UFC and the get exclusive action from MLB all for one payment every month. You can watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.

Article continues below

As a result, the Gunners currently sit second in the table. Level on points with neighbours Spurs and boasting a near-identical record, they find themselves below Ange Postecoglou's side due to inferior goals-scored tally.

Join our new WhatsApp community! Click this link to receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.

Daily Mirror Icon
Top Arsenal stories
Follow Daily Mirror:


Emmanuel AdebayorArsenal FCManchester City FCMikel ArtetaWhatsAppSky SportsPremier LeagueEmiratesChampions League
reach logo

At Reach and across our entities we and our partners use information collected through cookies and other identifiers from your device to improve experience on our site, analyse how it is used and to show personalised advertising. You can opt out of the sale or sharing of your data, at any time clicking the "Do Not Sell or Share my Data" button at the bottom of the webpage. Please note that your preferences are browser specific. Use of our website and any of our services represents your acceptance of the use of cookies and consent to the practices described in our Privacy Notice and Cookie Notice.