Arsenal cult hero Nicklas Bendtner witnesses friend being stabbed in New York

Former Arsenal and Denmark striker Nicklas Bendtner was caught up in an horrific incident in New York, which saw a friend of his stabbed.

The 36-year-old, who is retired from football, was in New York with friends last week when the shocking attack occurred.

The incident was caught on CCTV, with video showing the Dane and his companions walking in Manhattan’s Upper West Side when a knife-wielding man approaches.

After the attack the man is then seen running away from the scene.

One man was stabbed, a 55-year-old, who was taken to hospital with face and ear injuries.

Bendtner has confirmed that it was him in the CCTV footage, telling Ekstra Bladet: ‘Yes, I can confirm that it is me in the video.

‘Could it have been me who was attacked? I have no comment about that.

‘But I can confirm that it’s me on the video – it’s hard to run away from. The victim, a former professional soccer player, was walking with friends.’

The attacker has been arrested and charged with attempted murder and assault.

He has been named as 25-year-old Joshua Zinberg, with his mother reportedly identifying him after seeing him on television coverage.

Eric Adams, the Mayor of New York, suggested the closure of mental health facilities in the city is part of the problem.

‘We walk past people every day that we know they do not have the ability to make the right decision to take care of themselves,’ he said.

‘This is a problem that was created when we closed the psychiatric facilities many years ago.

‘We closed them without giving people the support that they deserve.’

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