Watford star Danny Welbeck couldn’t believe how talented Arsenal boss Unai Emery was, according to BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves.
Welbeck left the Gunners behind at the end of last season after an injury-plagued final campaign in north London.
The England international will, however, miss Watford’s showdown with his old club on Sunday afternoon.
And Hargreaves has now claimed Welbeck couldn’t believe how talented Emery was when the Arsenal job replaced Arsene Wenger last year.
“I was speaking to Danny Welbeck, I saw him [just now], and he said what a brilliant coach Unai Emery is,” Hargreaves told The Kelly & Wrighty Show.
“He said he couldn’t believe how talented a coach he was.
“So I really believe in the talent that they have, the front three that they have, but it goes back to the defence. Can they sort it out?”
Hargreaves believes Arsenal can finish in the top four this season, despite Emery failing to steer them to the Champions League qualifying slots last season.
And he was also full of praise for Dani Ceballos, who has impressed since joining from Real Madrid on loan back in the summer.
“This league is difficult and I think the first game he was magnificent, then went to Anfield and barely kicked the ball – and he’s a ball player, he needs touches,” he said of Ceballos.
“So didn’t really affect the game there.
“When he came on against Tottenham I thought he was terrific, I thought he was exceptional.
“So just put all those guys on the pitch and let them figure it out.
“Lacazette up top, Aubameyang, Pepe, Ceballos maybe in behind. Torreira’s got to play I think, Guendouzi [as well].
“Xhaka I’m not sure why he consistently starts with all the mistakes that he makes.
“But I like what Arsenal have. I really believe in it.
“In the second half against Tottenham I thought they were magnificent. They should have won the game, they really should have. And I think they’ll finish fourth.”
Welbeck, meanwhile, recently named his three favourite Arsenal memories ahead of Watford’s showdown with the Gunners.
“Right from the beginning of my time at Arsenal I always felt a lot of love and support from the fans. Obviously, we had some great times there and some terrible lows as well,” he told the club’s official website.
“Things were difficult for me at times but when I’m on the pitch I’m always going to give it 100 per cent and the fans saw that and recognised that. They saw me go through some really hard times but they were always there to support me.
“I have so many great memories, especially winning the FA Cup final in 2017. We were up against a good Chelsea side and it was a very good performance that day. To win the cup was a great feeling and it was a really big high for myself personally.
“Scoring a hat-trick in the Champions League was another, and coming back from injury to score the winner at Leicester was another thing I’ll always remember.”