5 Reasons Arsenal Fans Will Jeer Cesc Fabregas on Emirates Return with Chelsea

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

Cesc Fabregas is preparing to return to the Emirates Stadium for the first time as a Chelsea player.

In the buildup to the game, Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has urged Arsenal fans to treat Fabregas with the respect "he deserves."

He told Arsenal's official website: "This club and myself had a very positive influence on Cesc’s life. I want every player to be respected, and [I want] Cesc Fabregas when he comes to the Emirates on Sunday to be respected like he deserves."

That's open to interpretation. Many Arsenal fans may feel the Spaniard is not deserving of much respect, and it would be no great surprise to hear the former Gunners skipper jeered by large sections of the Emirates support.

Read on to discover five reasons Fabregas could fall foul of the Arsenal fans this weekend.

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Arsenal fans are still hurt by the way Cesc Fabregas forced through his move to Barcelona.

He was absent for long periods of pre-season, with conflicting stories about injuries and a potential strike. What was clear was that Fabregas wanted out of Arsenal, and he had no compunctions about making that clear to the Emirates hierarchy.

Gunners supporters have not forgotten his decision to leave a club who were going through a difficult time. His defection to Barcelona was understandable but still painful.

Kirsty Wigglesworth/Associated Press

When Cesc Fabregas returned to the Premier League this summer, many Arsenal fans wondered aloud why the Gunners had not made use of their "first option" clause to bring him back to the Emirates Stadium. Initially, his presence at Stamford Bridge was used as a stick to beat Arsene Wenger rather than Fabregas.

However, according to Wenger, interest from Arsenal would have made little difference: Fabregas' mind was already made up. Per David Woods of the Daily Star, he said:

I believe his decision was already made. I personally believe that deal was done a long time ago, early 2014. I didn't speak to him directly.

I was informed that he might go to Chelsea, but when I was informed I thought the deal was already done.

The revelation that Fabregas pushed for a move to Chelsea from the start will anger Arsenal fans.

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Sometimes the scale of a player's achievements can shield them from criticism. Thierry Henry left Arsenal for Barcelona, but it was impossible for Gunners fans to hold it against him.

For all his talent, Cesc Fabregas departed Arsenal with just a single FA Cup medal to his name. He was something of a nearly-man, finishing as a runner-up in the Champions League, Premier League and losing two League Cup semi-finals.

Fabregas could rightfully argue he was playing in an average Arsenal team, but his lack of trophies leaves his legacy vulnerable.

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

According to talkSPORT, Cesc Fabregas kissed the Chelsea badge during the club's 2-0 win over Arsenal in October.

That will have incensed the Arsenal fans, and cast serious aspersions over his supposed loyalty to the Gunners.

Alastair Grant/Associated Press

In the first half of the season, the decision to pass on Cesc Fabregas looked like a disastrous one for Arsenal. Had their form continued in that manner, fans may have been more inclined to salute Fabregas' contribution to better times at the Emirates.

However, Arsenal have since recovered and evolved a midfield that can rival anything Chelsea have to offer.

Santi Cazorla's form has been instrumental to that transition. Had Fabregas arrived at Arsenal, it's highly unlikely Cazorla would have been given the run in central midfield that has been key to their revival.

Then there's Mesut Ozil. Since returning to the team in January, the German playmaker has been outstanding.

Slowly but surely, Arsene Wenger's plan is coming to fruition.

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