There are few more loyal in today's game than Arsene Wenger. First appointed as Arsenal manager 21 years ago, he has seen himself outlast all-comers during that time to become the longest serving manager across any of Europe's top five leagues.

Softly spoken and often analytical, he's not a man typically known for confrontation. Sure, Jose Mourinho and Anthony Taylor might argue otherwise, but generally he is a man keen on peace, specifically within his playing squad.

However, that's not to say he hasn't had to be strict when the moment calls for it and there are a handful of players who have felt his wrath in the past.

Recently, star player Alexis Sanchez has been unable to hide his frustrations at the club's performances, with his tantrum against Bayern Munich during the first leg of their Champions League encounter being a particular sticking point.

The manager even benched his top scorer this weekend as they travelled to take on Liverpool, suggesting that there had been a clash between the pair, as had been widely reported.

Wenger has since denied these claims and the pair were pictured shaking hands as they arrived for training on Monday morning.

But fans are having a hard time believing that there really is a truce between them and that it was all a show for the cameras in attendance.

They have every right to believe that, too, given Wenger's previous run-ins with his players, so below, we're documenting five times Wenger fell out with his players and what happened in the aftermath.

5. Alex Song

Nobody could understand the logic in Wenger allowing his influential midfielder depart for Barcelona back in 2012. The season before he'd been the club's best player and looked to have made a position in the side his own for years to come. 

Reports quickly emerged that Wenger had grown weary of the Cameroon international constantly turning up late for training and not following his defensive instructions closely enough.

Song hit back at those claims insisting that he never actually wanted to leave, and was instead prepared to sign a five-year deal with the club.

What happened next: He struggled to get into the Barca team and spent two years on loan with West Ham, but now, at the age of 29, is plying his trade for Russian side Rubin Kazan.

4. Lassana Diara

Diara came to Arsenal after a season with Chelsea, where he'd shown himself to be a dynamic midfield runner with a huge future ahead of him. However, his one and only season at Arsenal saw him make just 13 appearances, where he was mostly used as a back-up to Bacary Sagna.

However, just a year later it seemed a personal rift between the two had stopped him from being a more prominent feature, and he hit out at his former manager by comparing him to Jose Mourinho.

"I did not have a good relationship with him [Wenger]," he said. "I respect the way he coaches, but I learnt more with Mourinho. He looked me in the eyes when he talked to me."

What happened next: Two years and one FA Cup with Portsmouth earned him a surprise move to Real Madrid. He spent four years there before a tour of Russia seemed to plunge him into obscurity. Signed with Marseille in 2015 but was released by the club late last year. Currently a free agent.

3. Nicklas Bendtner

Everyone knows about 'Lord' Bendtner's antics at Arsenal, and in all honesty it's hard to blame Wenger for wanting to get rid of the Danish international.

Bendtner began his career promisingly, but his off-field life started to interfere with his performances. For instance, there was the time a taxi driver accused him of stripping down to his underwear and rubbing himself against his cab.

This was followed by an on-pitch fight with Emmanuel Adebayor at White Hart Lane. He was on borrowed time from the start.

What happened next: Two unsuccessful loans with Sunderland and Juventus lead him to join Wolfsburg in 2014, but he failed to impress there and now finds himself back in England with Nottingham Forest.

2. William Gallas

It was perhaps Gallas' influence that has kept Wenger from putting too many controversial characters in his squad. The former skipper is another player who'd arrived from Chelsea and had quickly established himself as a potential leader for the Gunners.

However, he barely spoke with the club's key player a the time, Cesc Fabregas, and his strop at Birmingham City during the 2007-08 campaign was a sight to behold.

Following a 4-4 draw with Spurs that same season he publicly criticised his teammates for their failure to see out the title challenge and he was subsequently stripped of the armband.

What happened next: Two years later he crossed over to Tottenham, just in case Arsenal fans weren't annoyed at him enough. He saw out his career in Australia in 2014.

1. Robert Pires

The winger had been a key part of Wenger's plans and a firm fan favourite during his spell at the club. However, during the 2006 Champions League final, he was hauled off after Jens Lehman sent off after 18 minutes.

"The final in Paris was the worst moment of my career," he said years later. "Two days after the final we spoke about two things. I said I was going to Villarreal and I wanted to know why I was substituted."

Pires has admitted that he would have ended his career with Arsenal, but just couldn't agree with Wenger's decision and made the choice to leave.

What happened next: He spent three years at Villarreal before returning to England with Aston Villa. He came out of retirement in 2014 with FA Goa in India but lasted just one season.