Gael Clichy: Wembley solidarity showed how special England is

Manchester City's Gael Clichy has labelled England a "special country" following the show of solidarity with France on Tuesday.

The former Arsenal defender was not part of his national side's squad in the 2-0 defeat in front of 70,000 supporters at Wembley on an evening which began with both sets of fans singing the French national anthem in a stadium decked out in red, white and blue.

The match had been in doubt following the attacks on Paris last Friday which left 129 people dead, including three at the Stade de France where the host nation were taking on Germany in a friendly.

"Seeing Wembley with the colours of France and the effort they did with the song, I was saying to my wife yesterday, I'm not surprised at all," said the 30-year-old.

"That's why when I retire I will live in England because this country is a special country for me and for anyone that lives here."

Clichy, who has lived in the UK since signing for Arsenal in 2003, is yet to feature for Manchester City in the Premier League this season.

The former Cannes full-back has struggled with fitness issues, but was keen to state the importance of Saturday's fixture against Liverpool - which is live on Sky Sports 1 HD at 5.30pm - with former club Arsenal only behind them on goal difference.

He said: "The main priority is to win things, so this game against Liverpool is a massive one.

"If we want to stay on top with Arsenal pushing behind really close, we have to keep on winning. It's a good thing to come back from national teams and play at home, but it's going to be a long season."

Clichy was speaking at a 'Boots and Beats' charity event, part of Manchester City's Cityzen Giving campaign.

The project, which also involved Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure and England women's captain Steph Houghton, aims to use football and music activities to engage unemployed young people and connect them with career and volunteering opportunities.

The Cityzen Giving initiative, now in its second year, involves several other projects, challenging issues such as social inclusion and HIV/AIDS in cities across the globe including New York, Melbourne and Kolkata.

Live Ford Saturday Night Football