Ashley Cole delivered a brutal blow in response to one unlucky Tottenham fan, stating Arsenal "smashed Spurs every time" in his youth days.
The Englishman made 227 appearances for Arsenal before making a switch to London rivals Chelsea in 2006, and while the balance in north London has shifted since, it was certainly The Gunners who had the upper hand during his time at the club.
During a Twitter conversation with former Brighton striker Leon Knight, Cole remarked that he learned at the age of 19 that strikers would time their movements by looking for signals in a defender's eyes, a sentiment Knight agreed with.
It was this point that a Tottenham fan interjected, stating: "[That's] probably why you were so desperate to leave Arsenal. Their youth development must have been atrocious given that you only picked that up at 19."
The former England international - who won two league titles with Arsenal - didn't shy away from the encounter, however, stating: "We smacked you [Tottenham] every time in my youth days."
With the Premier League now just days away from its resumption, Tottenham and Arsenal, who sit eighth and ninth in the table respectively, are set to resume their battle for a European spot.
Arsenal face a daunting trip to Pep Guardiola's Manchester City to resume their campaign, while Tottenham welcome Manchester United to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
