Despite the rocky ending between the two, Arsenal fans reminded Arsene Wenger of their affection for him during the Gunners' 3-1 win over West Ham.
Mikel Arteta's side extended their lead at the top of the Premier League table with a demolition over their London rivals in their first game back since the World Cup break.
Wenger - who spent 22-years as manager of the north London club - watched the game at the Emirates and was serenaded with a chant he'll be all-too familiar with.
After the Gunners had taken a 2-1 lead in the match, the atmosphere at the Emirates rose and fans quickly decided to sing the name of their former coach.
'There's only one Arsene Wenger, one Arsene Wenger!', the Arsenal crowd sang.
Footage showed the 73-year-old sitting in the stands, cracking a smile and waving back to the fans as they chanted his name in the 60th minute.
It's been over four years since Wenger was last at the Emirates, when he oversaw a 5-0 win over Burnley in his final home game in charge.
Wenger spent 22 years as Arsenal boss from 1996-2018, overseeing several triumphs, along with the move from Highbury to the Emirates Stadium.
However, he departed at the end of the 2017-18 season after mounting fan pressure and protests over the lack of progress at the club while he was at the helm.
The Frenchman now works as chief of global development at FIFA and had not attended an Arsenal game over the past four and a half years.
His presence for their game against West Ham is a major moment in Wenger's ongoing relationship with the club, with Mikel Arteta previously outlining his desire to see the former boss return and even have a role within the club.
In 2021, Arteta said: 'We would be delighted to have him (Wenger) much closer.
'I think he would have a great time just seeing the environment that he can create around him when he's around this place because of the respect, admiration and the love that everybody at the club has for what he's done, as well as for what he represents as a person.
'What I can say is that I would like him to be much closer, personally, to me because I think it would be a great help, I think it would be a great help for the club.'
Wenger managed the Gunners for a mammoth 1,235 games - winning 707 of them - and ending with a 57.2 per cent win ratio.
He won 17 trophies while at the club including three Premier League titles.
YakubuAutaSaad
23
The game was also notable for the return of Arsene Wenger to the stadium for the first time. Mikel Arteta said the players didn’t know beforehand, they didn’t want to build it up, but after the second goal went in and a resounding “One Arsene Wenger!” rang around the stadium you’d have to have a heart of stone not to feel how special that was. It was long overdue and I’m glad it happened at last. I’m glad he got to see us win too. On a night when the owners were present at the front of the Director’s Box, perhaps this means there’s been a thawing of the relationships. Time moves on, it doesn’t mean they’ll be BFFs forever or anything, but after everything he did during his time here, it would have been tragic if he never felt like he could come back. Mikel Arteta said: His presence is something that has to be very attached to this football club. So thank you for doing that because it means a lot to everybody in the club. Hopefully, he’s going to live here and be willing to spend more time with us and be around us because he’s such an influence. For me personally – my career and the way I see the game – but as well for this football club. Welcome back, Arsene. And how fitting it was that a young, dynamic Arsenal side marked the occasion with the kind of win and performance we saw so many times during his tenure.
EmieGold
11
Wenger is the reason I support Arsenal till date and forever....
Caliko34
11
with how the match ended yesterday Arsene Wenger should be very proud his arsenal is in good hands 💯
Real_HEAVEN1
10
WENGER THE ONLY MAN THAT KNOWS A GOOD PLAYER BEFORE HE BECOMES DAT GOOD [ko]