Arsène Wenger led the support for Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsenal’s manager pointing to his former rival’s great strength as he begins his recovery from an operation following a brain haemorrhage.

Wenger’s side defeated Burnley at the Emirates Stadium, in his final home game as manager and before a post-match presentation on the pitch he began by offering his best wishes to Ferguson.

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“I would like to wish my fellow manager Ferguson well and very quickly. I only found out last [Saturday] night,” Wenger said. “I am very sorry for him and his family. I wish him all the best and that he recovers as quickly as he can. It was a shock, for sure. All my thoughts are with him and his family.

“I was with him on the pitch last week [at Old Trafford] and I went to see him in the box after the game. He looked in a perfect shape, he told me he is doing a lot of exercise, he looked very happy. That kind of accident can happen. We wish him well and that he recovers very quickly. He is a strong and optimistic man.”

To widespread applause at the Emirates Stadium the PA announcer said: “The thoughts of everyone at Arsenal are with Sir Alex Ferguson and his family at this difficult time.”

At the Etihad Stadium, before Manchester City received the Premier League trophy at the early match against Huddersfield, two home fans held a large placard that said: “Football aside, get well Fergie.”

City’s manager, Pep Guardiola, said: “Him and his wife Cathy, all the family, we hope they’ll get well and recover well as quickly as possible and come back for the United family.

“All the Manchester City fans in the stadium, you cannot find one person who does not wish the best for an amazing person. The manager was outstanding but, as a person [too].”

Brian Kidd, one of Guardiola’s assistants, was formerly Ferguson’s No 2 at United in a seven-year spell that ended in 1998. “He’s such an iconic person as everybody knows,” Kidd said. “There was a really sombre mood yesterday [Saturday] evening and this morning. You think Sir Alex is really indestructible, we’ve all been brought up with him. What he did for Manchester United was unreal and the pressure he was under every day to produce. It’s phenomenal.

“Obviously all of us at Manchester City, he’s in our prayers and thoughts – Cathy and the kids – we wish him a speedy and happy recovery and we hope it’s a quick one. We send all our love to him.”

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Huddersfield’s manager, David Wagner, said: “I am very sorry for him and his family. I wish him all the best, and that he recovers as quickly as he can. All my thoughts are with him and his family.”

Antonio Conte, whose Chelsea side beat Liverpool 1-0 at Stamford Bridge, said: “When this type of situation happens, I’m very sad. Very sad because I have had the possibility to know him, him and his wife, and to understand this is a special person. Not a normal person. As a manager he won many titles in his career. I appreciate a lot the man.

“This news changed my day in a bad way. But we hope. We hope to see him quickly and to have our best wishes to him to recover very, very soon. Now it’s very difficult. We want to stay very close to his family.”

Jürgen Klopp said: “I met Sir Alex after our first leg against Roma [in the Champions League], together with [the former Liverpool manager] Gérard Houllier. I had a few words with him. When I heard it yesterday on the way to London, I couldn’t believe it.”

The Liverpool manager added: “But this can happen to all of us. He was last night and will be in my players’ minds now. I wish him and his family all the best. He will be in good shape again and I’m looking forward to seeing him again.”