Gunners star Nasri says Man U has lost its aura

LONDON - Arsenal football star Samir Nasri believes that the Sir Alex Ferguson-led Manchester United club has lost its aura of invincibility and its capacity to frighten opponents.

“For me, United is not the same team as before. With Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez it was a little bit scary to play at Old Trafford. Now I don’t think offensively they are the same as before,” the Daily Mail quoted Nasri, as saying.

Nasri’s comments on Manchester United came after senior Arsenal players expressed anger over Manchester United defender Patrice Evra’s dismissal of their club on French television as “a training centre”.

They said that they would seek retribution on the pitch.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said that those sort of “below the belt” remarks were “based on fear” and that “big players always respect their opponent”.

Asked about Evra’s dismissal of the team as immature, Nasri said: “We will see on Monday. We will show him that we have grown up.” (ANI)