Bernstein took over as City chairman in 1998, when they had just been relegated to the third tier, but saw them return to the second tier in his first year at the helm and left the club in the top flight when he departed in 2003.

He said that during City's time in the second division, he asked Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein for a meeting with Wenger, who had made a substantial impact on English football after his arrival in 1996. 

"I had two hours with him at the Arsenal training ground on my own," Bernstein, who was the head of the Football Association from 2011 to 2013, told Reuters. "He was fantastic... I went back and a lot of what happened at City was because of him. He was tremendous."

Speaking ahead of City's trip to Arsenal on Sunday, he said he would feel "very, very sorry" for Wenger if he "got a battering" in that match and still views him as a "fantastic manager."

He added: "I have got a lot of sympathy for him. I'm really sad to see this sort of decline."

David Bernstein, who later served as FA chairman, helped revive City during their struggles around the turn of the millennium.

Reflecting on his City tenure and the changes since his time with the club, Bernstein said: "For a period of time, a number of years, I was the man. I was the boss. I could do it my way. It wasn't my club, I didn't own it, but I had that authority.

"My first two years with [manager] Joe Royle were my best two years in football. Being in the trenches, playing York City and Lincoln City and Wycombe Wanderers in the league. And losing. It's inconceivable.

"Our total income as a club when I became chairman was £13 million. Now I think it's £400m."

Bernstein said City boss Pep Guardiola still had work to do to deliver on his team's potential.

"On their day, they [City] are fantastic, a wonderful attacking side and so on, but they've disappointed," he said.

"The owners are looking for a lot more. With that money and that investment, this is a club that should really be strongly challenging for the [English] championship and for Europe. So, so far not proven."