Arsène Wenger is confident Arsenal's Capital One Cup third-round opponents Coventry City will return to the Premier League one day.
The Sky Blues, who were relegated from the top flight in 2001 after 34 consecutive seasons, dropped to League One last season and sacked manager Andy Thorn at the beginning of the week.
But Wenger knows the Midlands club well from their lengthy period at the top and insists a spell in the third tier could work to their favour in the long-term.
“We have not played them for a few years and it reminds me of playing Coventry in the Premier League,” he told Arsenal Player. “They have built a new stadium and after they were in trouble.
“Southampton went through that and came back. I always believe that these clubs will never die and because they have the potential, they always come back one day.
“Sometimes it is needed to go through that stage - to go to League One, rebuild and bounce back to the Premier League. I am sure one day they will come back.
“It will be interesting to see them because they did very well in their last game in the League Cup. It is good to play at home.”
The Sky Blues, who were relegated from the top flight in 2001 after 34 consecutive seasons, dropped to League One last season and sacked manager Andy Thorn at the beginning of the week.
But Wenger knows the Midlands club well from their lengthy period at the top and insists a spell in the third tier could work to their favour in the long-term.
“We have not played them for a few years and it reminds me of playing Coventry in the Premier League,” he told Arsenal Player. “They have built a new stadium and after they were in trouble.
“Southampton went through that and came back. I always believe that these clubs will never die and because they have the potential, they always come back one day.
“Sometimes it is needed to go through that stage - to go to League One, rebuild and bounce back to the Premier League. I am sure one day they will come back.
“It will be interesting to see them because they did very well in their last game in the League Cup. It is good to play at home.”