Arsenal champion Gilberto Silva says players should give under-fire manager Arsene Wenger the support he needs

ARSENAL great Gilberto Silva says Arsene Wenger is handling the pressure “like a gentleman” and he has urged the Arsenal players to give their all for their manager in return.

ARSENAL great Gilberto Silva says Arsene Wenger is handling the pressure “like a gentleman” and he has urged the Arsenal players to give their all for their manager in return.

Gilberto, a World Cup-winner with Brazil, is in Sydney to promote the Confederations Cup alongside former Socceroos star Harry Kewell.

With so much focus on Wenger and whether or not the Arsenal manager will remain at the club beyond this season, Gilberto says the situation is not an easy one.

“If he goes, who comes?”, Gilberto said.

“It’s not so easy. The pressure on Arsene that he’s facing from some of the fans is not common. He is handling the situation very well, like a gentleman. Even though he is under pressure he takes all the responsibility and embraces the players. What I can say (to) the players now, give the support he needs and give their best on the pitch.”

Arsenal great and World Cup winner Gilberto Silva (left) with former Socceroos Harry Kewell and the Confederations Cup in Sydney on Friday.

Gilberto, an Arsenal Invincible who played at the club from 2002-2008, says he will always speak about Wenger with the utmost respect and hopes the club’s longest serving manager remains there in some capacity even when the time comes for him to step down. But he wouldn’t say if he thinks that time should come at the end of the season.

“I’d love to see him stay around and support (a new) coach over the line,” he said.

“When we talk about this situation I have to be very careful and very respectful, because of the man and what he has done and what he represents, not only at Arsenal but in the world of football. He has changed the game. He transformed what Arsenal were in the past to what it is now as a club.

Arsenal great Gilberto Silva in English Premier League action against Portsmouth in 2006.

“What I had there was massive for me, it represents a lot. The players of that generation, it doesn’t matter how long the time passed, we keep our good feelings for the club.”

Originally published as Arsenal champion Gilberto Silva says players should give under-fire manager Arsene Wenger the support he needs