Ex-Arsenal defender Kolo Toure has backed his old manager Arsene Wenger to succeed in his next two years at the Emirates Stadium.

The former Arsenal defender had many good times under Wenger and believes that he still has the fight and heart to succeed at the club.

“It’s a tough situation because Arsenal haven’t won the league for a long time now, even though they’ve won the FA Cup a few times,” Toure said, reports the Daily Star.

“There’s a lot of pressure on Mr. Wenger but, the thing is, Mr. Wenger loves Arsenal. He’s done amazing for the club. He’s working with his heart.

“He’s been there so long and, for me, when I was there, we worked very well and won the league. That was the best time. Right now it’s tough but Mr. Wenger is a fighter.”

Toure made 326 appearances for Arsenal, winning the Premier League in 2003/04 and the FA Cup in 2005. The 36-year-old has a lot of respect for Wenger.

It was the long-serving Frenchman who signed the Ivorian defender after a successful trial in 2002 and converted him into a centre-back, where he would go on to make a name for himself.

Sadly, it’s been a few years since Wenger has pulled off something like that. The Arsenal boss may still have heart and fight, but his abilities have clearly waned over the years and have been left behind by modern football, I feel.

He will try his best to get Arsenal back up the table and competing for major honours, but he can only do so much before the inevitable flaws come out again.

Granted, it’s refreshing for an ex-player to come out and back Wenger rather than throw around the usual lines about how shambolic the club is and whatnot. But we’re still 16th in the Premier League table with three points from three games this season.