Cape Town - Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville says that the Arsenal sides led by Arsene Wenger were the best teams he played against in the English Premiership.

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The former Manchester United defender was involved in many battles with Wenger's Arsenal side during the late nineties into the 2000's and hailed Wenger for the incredible impact he had on the league.

"My initial reaction is one of warmth, really," Neville told Sky Sports News.

"Certainly the best English teams that I ever played against were built and managed by Arsene Wenger.

"The '98 team is the best team that I've ever played against.

"The biggest compliment that I can give Arsene Wenger is that he played a level of football and a quality of football that made us change the way we played."

Neville added that the Frenchman has achieved incredible success at Arsenal.

"He did very well, he came to England and I can’t talk negatively today about Arsene Wenger," he said.

"What he’s achieved at Arsenal and in English football is immense. 

"In terms of what happened, he continued to win trophies right until the very end – multiple FA Cups in the last few years – that are now being stoned upon as not being good enough. 

"The reality of it is, if you look back through Arsenal’s history, they have always gone long periods without league titles. This is the most successful period in Arsenal’s history, the last 20 years. 

"They’ve got the best stadium in this country, and he has achieved great success through that, not the largest in England but there is no negative at all."