Arsene Wenger Meeting Helped Manchester City Progress, Says David Bernstein

Former Manchester City chairman David Bernstein has credited Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger with helping the Sky Blues' revival when they were in the third tier of English football in the late 1990s. 

Bernstein was chairman of City from 1998 to 2003 and saw the club rise from the second division to the Premier League, and he has revealed he sought advice from Wenger during his tenure, per Reuters (via ESPN FC): "I had two hours with him at the Arsenal training ground on my own. He was fantastic...I went back and a lot of what happened at City was because of him. He was tremendous."

City face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, and a win for the Sky Blues could spell the end of the Gunners' top-four hopes this season following a recent run of four Premier League defeats in five.

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A humbling at the hands of Bayern Munich in the last 16 of the UEFA Champions League, and the increasing likelihood that Arsenal will not return to Europe's elite competition next season, has piled huge pressure on Wenger of late.

Bernstein added that he still rates Wenger, 67, as a "fantastic manager" and said he does not like to see the troubles the Frenchman is enduring: "I have got a lot of sympathy for him. I'm really sad to see this sort of decline."

He also commented on the huge changes that have taken place at City since he was at the club: "Our total income as a club when I became chairman was £13 million. Now I think it's £400 million."

Arsenal	Manchester City
3-1 loss vs. West Bromwich Albion	1-1 draw vs. Liverpool
3-1 loss vs. Liverpool	0-0 draw vs. Stoke City
2-0 win vs. Hull City	2-0 win vs. Sunderland
3-1 loss vs. Chelsea	2-0 win vs. Bournemouth
2-1 loss vs. Watford	2-1 win vs. Swansea City

City are not going to win the Premier League this season, but, depending on other results, they could move into second if they beat Arsenal at the weekend.

Pep Guardiola will be in the opposite dugout to Wenger at the Emirates and will be eager to see his side move a step closer to ensuring their own Champions League spot for next season.

It would have been inconceivable for Bernstein during his time at the club that City would have a two-time Champions League-winning manager in charge, and it seems Wenger is at least partially responsible for helping the Sky Blues get to where they are now.