Liverpool cult hero 'smashed' Thierry Henry and Arsene Wenger in Arsenal moment

The future Liverpool defender was on trial at Arsenal in 2002 and was desperate to impress Arsene Wenger, but his heavy tackles on Henry, Bergkamp, and the manager left everyone stunned

Kolo Toure with his Arsenal teammates(Image: Getty Images)

Kolo Toure was known for his no-nonsense approach, even when it came to impressing Thierry Henry during his Arsenal trial.

The Ivorian, who went on to play for Liverpool, spent seven years in north London after a successful trial led to a transfer from ASEC Mimosas in 2002. However, his trial at Highbury could have caused quite a stir due to his hard-hitting style, which left Henry and Dennis Bergkamp in discomfort.

Not content with leaving two of Arsenal's star players on the turf, the then-21-year-old Toure also had Arsene Wenger in his crosshairs during another robust challenge. In a 2017 interview, Toure - who spent three years at Anfield - shed light on the famous trial, confirming rumors about the hefty tackle he made on his former manager.

Speaking to Arsenal Player, he said: "That definitely happened. It was a game, and the manager was outside the game. He was not playing, but he was passing the ball to the attacking players.

"The ball was going out, and Mr. Wenger went to get the ball. When he controlled the ball, instead of just stopping the game, I thought he was playing as well. I kept going, and it was a big, big tackle.

"After that, everyone was laughing and joking, but I was in shock."

Toure played under Brendan Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)

Toure acknowledged that he believes his enthusiasm and passion persuaded Wenger to give him an opportunity. He added: "I was like, 'Wow, maybe that will mean I will have to leave the club.' At the end of the day, I think the tackle made him want to keep me.

"Maybe he saw my desire as a defender from that. When I arrived at the club, it was a special experience for me because I didn't expect to have a trial at such a big club. I was really passionate, really enthusiastic.

"For me, to be able to play with players I was seeing on the TV like Patrick Vieira, Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Ray Parlour and Martin Keown, it was something really, really special. It was massive, definitely."

Toure won the Premier League title, two FA Cups, and two Community Shields at Arsenal before joining Manchester City in 2009, where he won another Premier League title and Community Shield.

The defender joined Liverpool in 2013 and, although he didn't play regularly under Brendan Rodgers and Jurgen Klopp, became a cult hero at Anfield. He was part of the Liverpool side that almost won the Premier League title in 2014 and reached the final of both the League Cup and Europa League in 2016.

Toure finished his career with Rodgers at Celtic, winning the Scottish Premiership title.

Toure will no doubt be watching when Liverpool travels to the Emirates on Wednesday.

The Reds, the reigning Premier League champions, have appeared off the pace for much of the campaign and head into the fixture as underdogs against the side tipped to wrestle the title away from Arne Slot's team.