Vieira (right) shares a giggle with Sol Campbell in Austria (ShaunBotterill/Allsport)

The France midfielder, 25, who said he wanted leave Highbury because he doubted their ability to match Manchester United, came on at half-time in the 4-1 defeat against Turkish unknowns Kocaelispor.

Vieira had not played since the final match of the season at Southampton, and many felt that would be his last appearance for Arsenal.

But manager Arsene Wenger and executive vice chairman David Dein stood firm in the face of player power, persuading their most valuable asset to stay for at least another 12 months - though Vieira has yet to publicly voice his views.

Wenger said last night: 'Patrick back? He was never away in my mind. For me it was obvious as soon as he came to our training camp. When players don't come back to training, that's when there is a problem.

'But it's good for the supporters to see him playing for us again. He looked a little tired, but he has been working hard.'

Vieira, booked for a foul on Aleks Yordunov in the 64th minute, didn't appear to be hugely affected by his eventful close season as he took his place in midfield next to new signing Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

Sven Goran Eriksson continued his drive to overtake Michael Palin as the world record holder for air miles by appearing at the Alpenstadion in Wattens, confirming that he intended to take in all three of Arsenal's friendlies in Austria.

The England coach spent 15 minutes chatting with Wenger, before engaging both Sol Campbell and Richard Wright in conversation.

Arsenal fans will have to wait until Monday's match with Real Mallorca to see former Tottenham captain Campbell consummate his contentious move across north London, the ankle injury sustained against the Gunners in last season's FA Cup semi-final still not quite right. Wright and Francis Jeffers were also missing, though Junichi Inamoto started in central midfield - watched by five Japanese TV crews.

The danger of fielding patchwork line-ups just to give everyone a run was illustrated with only four minutes gone when Oleg Luzhny dithered and Bulgarian Zdravko Lazarov slid the first goal past David Seaman. A similar mix-up allowed Lazarov to net his second.

Ray Parlour replied but after Wenger brought on every available substitute at half-time, Nuri Colak and Serdar Topraktepe made it 4-1.

There was further bad news at home, where Arsenal's hopes of signing Crewe's teenage striker Dean Ashton appear to have disappeared.