Wenger use to defend Robert Pires during training - Ray Parlour

Arsene Wenger once told his assistant manager to ‘shut up’ when he tried to criticise Arsenal legend Robert Pires in a training session, according to Ray Palour.

Arsene Wenger managed  Robert Pires for six years at the north London club.

Ray Parlour played alongside Pires for four years. He revealed how Wenger would step in to defend the forward from his right-hand man, Pat Rice.

‘Remember Pat Rice to Robert Pires? “If I see you jump out of a tackle again”,’ Parlour told Martin Keown in a conversation in the Daily Mail.

‘Then Wenger comes in: “Shut up, Pat! Well done Robert, keep moving the ball”.

‘He knew his character. He knew if you had a go at him, he’d go into his shell and wouldn’t want the ball.’

Wenger left the club in 2018 and watched from afar as his successor Unai Emery was sacked after just 18 months in charge.

Unai Emery was replaces by Mikel Arteta who left his role as Pep Guardiola assistant at Manchester City in January.