• Premier League

Now I know I was right to leave Arsenal - Nasri

Samir Nasri is in line to make his Manchester City debut against Tottenham on Sunday and you can catch all the action live on ESPN. Click here for details on how to subscribe.

Samir Nasri continues to put new club Manchester City on a pedestal above former club Arsenal, insisting on Friday: "Now I know I made the right choice".

City held an official press conference for Nasri ahead of the weekend, when Roberto Mancini takes his men to face Tottenham. The France international scored at White Hart Lane last season, and Mancini admits there is a good chance he will walk into the starting XI.

"Samir is a fantastic player, he's very important for the club," said the Italian. "I wanted him when I was at Inter, but I got him five years later!

"It's possible [he will play]. He's fit, he worked with Arsenal for one month, it's possible."

Nasri shed light on his first impressions at City, having had his first training session with his new team-mates. And in a quote that seemed to act as another thinly-veiled dig at Arsenal's lack of ambition - to which Nasri has previously alluded - the midfielder revealed the quality of City's squad has made him surer than ever about his decision to leave the Emirates.

"I was really impressed because I trained with big players and saw real quality," said Nasri. "Now I know I made the right choice. I'm confident [of winning trophies] because I saw the quality on the pitch. I told you it was the club of the future. I'm still convinced of that."

Nasri did, however, attempt to build bridges with Arsenal fans, claiming he did not accuse them of a lack of passion. On August 25 he was quoted as saying on City's official website: "Arsenal have good fans but not that passionate since they moved from Highbury to the Emirates. I remember when we played against City, when we lost 3-0, the crowd was amazing. That is what I want. When you play football it is for a good atmosphere."

Now Nasri has backtracked, insisting: "You got that wrong. I never said that Arsenal fans were not good. I just said I saw real passion when I signed here. When I signed for Arsenal it was a little bit different. That's the only thing I said.

"Cesc [Fabregas] said as well that the difference between Highbury and the Emirates is the atmosphere. Don't get me wrong, I never said Arsenal fans have a lack of passion."

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