Arsene Wenger has just about done and seen it all during his 13 seasons at Arsenal.

He may well have even bought the “In Arsene We Trust” T-shirt. However, one thing still does not sit right.

A lot of humble pie has been eaten since the famous headline “Arsene Who?” greeted the appointment of the then-unheralded French coach at Highbury during the autumn of 1996.

Now, of course, Wenger - who tomorrow becomes the longest serving manager in Arsenal history - is lauded as one of the best football brains on the planet.

‘The Professor’, who holds a Masters’ Degree in Economics from Strasbourg University, has secured three Premier League titles - including the famous Invincibles campaign of 2003/2004 - along with the FA Cup four times and an appearance in the Champions League final three years ago.

However, it was the failure of his young side to rise to the challenge against Manchester United in last season’s European Cup semi-final which continues to rest uneasy on Wenger’s conscience.

Completely outplayed at Old Trafford, yet somehow still in the tie being only 1-0 down, Arsenal opened up all guns blazing in the second leg, only for an untimely slip by rookie full-back Kieran Gibbs to prove so costly as United grabbed a crucial early away goal and went on to Rome.

Wenger recalled: “Losing the semi-final of the Champions League to Manchester United last year was the lowest point, because we did not play at our level.

“We have got a young team, which has an average age of 22 or 23, and one which is maturing - even if it can make mistakes like in semi-final of the Champions League.

“What is very disappointing for us, however, is in the games that mattered in the last three or four weeks we could not win.

“That is where we have to analyse.”

Wenger, whose side also lost out in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, to Chelsea at Wembley, added: “At the end of the day, we tried very hard to get the best out of the team.

“If it is not good enough, it is not good enough, we can accept that - but trust me, there was no fault of commitment on our side.

“We will naturally progress if we keep going.”

While many other men who were about to turn 60 next month may well be contemplating a well-earned retirement, Wenger has no intentions of hanging up his manager’s overcoat just yet.

“I have never had a day when I think I could live without football,” said the former Monaco coach.

“I know one day it will happen, but you should not live every day knowing you are going to die - you live knowing that you want to live.

“You will know if you are not hungry enough any more, but other people will tell you if you are not good enough any more.”

Wenger’s legacy at the Emirates Stadium is already secure, with a bronze bust of the Frenchman now in pride of place alongside fellow Arsenal legend Herbert Chapman at the impressive 60,000-seater stadium, into which he had so much influence.

Indeed a fitting venue for his unique brand of passing football, which has written its own chapter in footballing folklore.

“The highest point was to play a whole season unbeaten. No matter how much money anybody else has invested, nobody else has done that,” Wenger reflected.

It is, though, the continued progress and development of his players - moulding world-class stars rather than simply just buying them - which perhaps serves as the most fitting tribute.

Thierry Henry was turned from an out-of-sorts winger at Juventus into arguably the greatest player of his generation while at Highbury, and it was also Wenger who plucked Emmanuel Adebayor from relative obscurity at Monaco to help turn the Togo international into one of the most-sought after strikers in Europe.

Current captain Cesc Fabregas is a case in point.

The midfielder arrived at Arsenal as a 16-year-old from the Barcelona youth set up and is now their most prized asset - one which the Catalan giants would love to have back.

A strong sense of loyalty, though, continues to keep the likes of Fabregas and Robin van Persie, last season’s scorer who arrived as a raw talent from Feyenoord in May 2004, committed to Wenger’s cause.

“He has been the most important influence in my short career,” Fabregas declared.

“He took me here, made me train with the first-team when I was 16 years old - I was training alongside Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp and Patrick Vieira so I was lucky to learn from the big players.

“For me it was a very big step forward.

“The manager took the risk to put me in the team.

“I have to thank him for that and now I have to pay him back for what he has done for me.”

Getting his hands on a long-overdue trophy in 2010 would certainly be a start.

Arsene Wenger wants to meet Bordeaux president Jean-Louis Triaud to answer allegations he unsettled Marouane Chamakh.

Arsenal boss Wenger has reacted angrily to claims he unsettled Chamakh and has challenged Bordeaux president Jean-Louis Triaud to a public meeting over his allegations.

Wenger is a huge admirer of Morocco forward Chamakh but no deal was agreed this summer for the 25-year-old, who has a year left on his contract with his French club.

Triaud has questioned Wenger’s conduct by suggesting he publicly declared an interest in his player before telling Bordeaux - and he is reluctant to do business with Arsenal if they go back for Chamakh when the transfer window reopens in January.

Wenger said: “The communication between the president of Bordeaux and myself is very clear - I kept him informed on everything that happened.

“If he is ready to make a comment, I’m ready to sit down with him here and to explain to you what he said. Then I will answer eye to eye.

“I don’t agree at all. It’s very difficult for me to understand any statement of that kind from him. I’m ready to make a press conference with him if you want.

“I’m not angry because I look in the mirror and know what I did - I don’t need any special comment. We can sit down here with the player and the president of Bordeaux and have an explanation. You will see what I did. I’m sure the president of Bordeaux will agree with what I say.”

Wenger insists the row does not affect his position on Chamakh - but he has hit back at Bordeaux by questioning their role in the transfer saga.

“Not at all (it does not affect my thinking). The boy is fantastic,” he added.

“I have made nearly 200 transfers and that means nearly 400 have not happened. That is part of any deal. It’s not because they are under pressure in Bordeaux that we have to explain everything that happens.

“I feel it is very important to keep confidentiality with everything that happens. I have never seen a story like that where something is in the newspapers every day because they talk.

“You talk when you sign the player. All the rest is the procedure of any transfer.”

Wenger has Theo Walcott back in the squad for the Barclays Premier League clash against Fulham this weekend following a side strain but Manuel Almunia is still struggling with a stomach problem so Vito Mannone could continue in goal. Andrey Arshavin is fit again following a groin strain.

Wenger was speaking at the official opening of the Highbury Square, which sees the club’s former home developed into apartments.

Chief executive Ivan Gazidis said: “We are seeing sales progressing well and the development is on a sound financial footing.”

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger feels that Sir Alex Ferguson’s “real hunger” for success will never die.

Wenger takes his side to Old Trafford Saturday for what could well be a title party should United secure a point.

It would be a record-equalling 18th championship for United, and a an impressive 11th under the guidance of Ferguson.

Wenger’s once fiery relationship with his old adversary is now much more civil than when their two sides went directly head-to-head for the game’s top honours.

The Arsenal manager believes whenever the 67-year-old Scot finally does decide to call it a day - with the end of next season mooted as a possibility having originally announced his plan to retire in 2002 - he will remain a winner.

“I believe until the last day of your life, the real hunger never goes,” said Wenger, whose side have not won silverware since the 2005 FA Cup.

“That is nothing to do with the number of trophies you have won or the amount of money you have made.

“You either want to win in life, or you do not want to win in life. It is as simple as that.

“It is only difficult to accept for people who do not have that drive.

“People who do have that drive, understand that the only thing which matters at the end of the day is how much you want to be successful.”

Much like Arsenal, United went through a barren spell from 2003 to 2006 when they failed to land the domestic championship.

Now, United are on course for a third successive title, and last season claimed the Champions League for a second time under Ferguson, while also being crowned FIFA Club World Cup winners in December 2008.

Wenger noted: “United bounced back very well, and credit to them.

“They have bought very well and invested very well. Today, they look the best team in England - and they are.

“That is credit to Ferguson as well, but it also shows that nothing is definite, it can all turn very quickly.”

Things have certainly taken a different path over the past few season for the once all-conquering Gunners, who claimed the league title with victory at Old Trafford back in May 2002, as the trophy cabinet at the impressive Emirates Stadium remains void of fresh silverware.

Wenger said: “I believe we play now more for our future because of the way we finish the season and for our pride as well because we want to give them a top class game.”

Arsenal may have come up again short this season, but Wenger - who remained defiant when grilled by shareholders at a forum last night - insists there are plenty of reasons to be positive.

“I believe the group has come forward since November,” said Wenger, his team now secure in fourth place.

“We have had a long unbeaten run in the Premier League, but not mature enough to win the FA Cup or the Champions League.

“There are no regrets with my commitment, certainly not. I worked harder than ever this year.

“We do with our resources as well as we can.

“If we add people, they will be with experience.”

Wenger added: “I am here to produce what I can. If it is not good enough, it is not good enough.

“At the end of the day you can give as much as you can and it is down to other people to assess the situation.”

Arsenal are now led by 22-year-old Cesc Fabregas.

The Spaniard spent some three months on the sidelines earlier this season, but Wenger remains confident his best is yet to come.

“He is a player who cares about results and nobody comes back 100%. You will see the real Cesc Fabregas next season,” the Arsenal manager said.

“Cesc has been very strong mentally and resolute and determined, has given as much as he can.

“At the start it [captaincy] is a burden, but can he absorb it and do that job.”

Arsene Wenger hailed his Russian dynamo Andrey Arshavin while the striker is stunned by his Anfield performance.

Arshavin admitted he had never scored four goals in a match before and said: “I liked the game but of course it’s not good for the team…almost basketball.”

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said of his Russian star: “His performance was outstanding.

“He had a quiet first half but when he comes into the game he is always very dangerous. He has personality and is a winner.”

Wenger had mixed emotions about the result.

“It was a game at a frenetic pace of top quality technically, and you could see both teams created many chances,” he said.

“We are half-happy because we scored four goals and half-unhappy because we conceded four.

“Also, 4-3 up with two minutes to go, the team is disappointed [to draw] but I give credit to my team for a great performance tonight.”

Arshavin put in the best performance by an Arsenal player at Anfield since Julio Baptista scored four in the 6-3 Carling Cup quarter-final victory in January 2007.

The Gunners boss paid tribute to his £15million January signing from Zenit St Petersburg, saying: “He can play everywhere, like all the great players.

“He scored four goals but he was at the end of some good combination play. He has a lot of tricks and a short backlift and that makes him very dangerous.”

Arsene Wenger wants his young Arsenal side to focus on the challenges ahead over the final six weeks of the season.

The Gunners, already without several key defenders, will travel to Liverpool for tonight’s game missing Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who has a slight hamstring problem, while leading scorer Robin van Persie is absent with a groin strain.

Full-back Bacary Sagna has recovered from a virus and could feature, and fit-again Croatia forward Eduardo could come into the attack.

Despite a nightmare display on what was his 24th birthday in Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final defeat to Chelsea, Poland international Lukasz Fabianski will again deputise in goal for Manuel Almunia (ankle).

Liverpool could go two points clear of Manchester United at the top of the table if they win, while Arsenal - unbeaten in 18 Barclays Premier League games - will be looking to consolidate fourth place and also claw back the deficit on the sides above them.

Wenger wants the campaign finished off in style as his team also seek to reach the Champions League final at the expense of holders United.

“We have to accept what happened on Saturday (in the 2-1 FA Cup defeat), to deal with it and not repeat it,” said the Arsenal manager.

“We have many big games coming up and we feel we can win them.”

Wenger added: “Winning is what we live for. We cannot be happy with only trying to remain fourth.

“We want to get closer to the top and have a good opportunity to come back to six points (deficit) on Liverpool.

“Third place is important, second place is important and why not first? You never know.

“You do not want to have regrets. We want to win every single game, no matter what competition we play in.

“Of course we are disappointed having lost in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, but we want to bounce back quickly.

“We have so many important targets in front of us and want to focus on that.”

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson last week hit back at Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, whom he accused of “arrogance” and of showing “contempt” towards Blackburn once his side had scored their second goal at Anfield earlier this month.

Benitez has not held back in his tirades at Ferguson this season as the race for the championship hots up.

Wenger has been no stranger to verbal sparing during his time in the English game - notably with Ferguson and former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho.

However, the French coach said: “You want respect in the game, and we managers are responsible for it. I do not want to interfere in that more because I do not know what happened [between Ferguson and Benitez).

"I believe it [mind games] was always something which was overrated a bit. But it is part of our environment and part of the media.

“You never know how much impact it has because it is impossible to measure.

“It is a little bit like advertising - it is needed but what impact it has on sales you never know. With mind games it’s the same.”

Wenger added: “I believe that it can sometimes have a negative impact rather than a positive impact.

“There is a rivalry there and I do not give too much importance to it.”

Arsene Wenger believes mind games between managers are “overrated” and has limited impact on what teams do on the pitch.

Manchester United chief Sir Alex Ferguson last week hit back at Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, whom he accused of “arrogance” and showing “contempt” in the wake of the Spaniard’s attitude in dismissing Blackburn once his side had scored their second goal at Anfield.

Benitez has not held back in his tirades at Ferguson this season as the race for the Barclays Premier League title hots up.

Wenger takes his side, who lost their FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday, to Liverpool tomorrow night.

The French coach is no stranger to some verbal sparring during his time in the English game, notably with Ferguson and former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho.

However, Wenger said: “You want respect in the game, and we managers are responsible for it. I do not want to interfere in that more because I do not know what happened (between Ferguson and Benitez).

“I believe it (mind games) was always something which was overrated a bit.

“But it is part of our environment and part of the media.

“You never know how much impact it has because it is impossible to measure.

“It is a little bit like advertising - it is needed but what impact it has on sales you never know. With mind games it’s the same.”

Wenger added: “I believe that it can sometimes have a negative impact rather than a positive impact.

“There is a rivalry there and I do not give too much importance to it.”

Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor will be rested tomorrow night as he has a slight hamstring problem, while leading scorer Robin van Persie is absent with a groin strain.

Full-back Bacary Sagna has recovered from a virus and could feature at Anfield to boost what has been a makeshift defence, and fit-again Croatia forward Eduardo could come into the attack.

Despite a Wembley nightmare on his 24th birthday, Lukasz Fabianski will again deputise in goal for Manuel Almunia (ankle).

The young Pole, though, continues to have the full support of the Arsenal manager.

“I will just put that down to experience,” Wenger said.

“Three days before he had an excellent game in the Champions League against Villarreal and it can happen to anybody.”

Arsenal head to Anfield looking to extend their unbeaten Premier League run to 19 matches.

Despite looking safe now in fourth place - a situation which appeared anything but secure earlier in the campaign - Wenger maintains his squad remains focused on finishing off in style as they seek to reach the Champions League final at the expense of holders United.

“We have to accept what happened on Saturday, to deal with it and not repeat it,” said Wenger.

“We have many big games coming up and we feel we can win them.

“Winning is what we live for.

“We cannot be happy with only trying to remain fourth.

“We want to get closer to the top and have a good opportunity to come back to six points on Liverpool.

“Third place is important, second place is important and why not first? You never know.

“You do not want to have regrets.

Both Wenger and Ferguson were, meanwhile, in agreement over the state of the playing surface at Wembley, which once again cut up badly.

“You will never see a good football match on a bad pitch. It is like that,” said Wenger.

“I just would think they should have to reconsider the whole structure of the pitch. At the moment they can re-lay it every three months and they will always have a bad pitch.

“It is not good enough for the Champions League Final, for the Olympic games, not for the semi-final of an FA Cup.

“Why? Because the first priority is that the pitch is good when you build a new stadium.

“If that is not right, the whole stadium is bad no matter how much money you spend.”

Arsene Wenger accepts Cesc Fabregas will take a while to be back to his best as Arsenal enter a key period of their campaign.

The Gunners captain has not featured since suffering a serious knee injury during the Barclays Premier League clash with Liverpool at Emirates Stadium on December 21.

However, Fabregas - along with England winger Theo Walcott and Togo frontman Emmanuel Adebayor - are expected to be in contention when domestic action resumes against Manchester City this weekend.

It is the first fixture of an action-packed April for the Gunners, who also face Villarreal in the quarter-finals of the Champions League and have an FA Cup semi-final date at Wembley with Chelsea as well as three other Barclays Premier League games - which include a trip to Anfield.

Arsenal will be looking to extend an unbeaten run of 16 league matches which has moved them back into the top four - but Wenger knows their skipper cannot be expected to be firing on all cylinders at the heart of the side straight away.

“Cesc is ready to play again, but he needs three games to be back [at his best],” Wenger said on French TV channel TF1.

“We are due to play eight games in 25 days, which are all decisive.”

Arsenal had nearly all of their first-team squad away during the international break, and Wenger will be hoping for some positive news on the injury front when the squad regroups at London Colney.

Leading scorer Robin van Persie returned early after a groin problem ruled him out of Holland’s midweek game against Macedonia.

Fellow striker Nicklas Bendtner (knee) is another worry, as is midfielder Abou Diaby (hip).

However, it is hoped Walcott - who just started playing again following a shoulder injury which kept him out from November only to then pick up a minor knee problem ahead of the international break - should soon be available.

Adebayor scored on his first game back since the start of February with a hamstring injury as Togo beat Cameroon in a World Cup qualifier.

There was also positive news for striker Eduardo, who netted for Croatia to claim what was his first international goal since returning from a year out with a broken leg to keep Slaven Bilic’s team Croatia second behind England in Group Six.

Even though the Gunners have now clawed themselves back into the Champions League places as Aston Villa falter, Wenger’s men remain 10 points adrift of leaders Manchester United, who have a game in hand, and six behind third-placed Chelsea.

Defender Mikael Silvestre won four Premier League medals from his time at Old Trafford and believes Arsenal’s current crop of talented youngsters can soon be competing for the title once again.

“We have got to believe that we can challenge next season,” said Silvestre, who signed from United in August, and is fit again following a calf injury which sidelined him since January.

“If we build on this season, which is not finished yet, there is a lot of reason to think that we must challenge from day one for the title.”

Silvestre, 31, told the club’s official website, www.arsenal.com: “You have to make a quick start, of course, because all the best teams take points. As soon as you drop two or three points, the gap is really big.”

Meanwhile, Arsenal’s French international full-back Bacary Sagna has dismissed reports linking him with a summer move to Juventus.

“I am under contract with Arsenal until 2014,” Sagna told www.skysports.com.

“I love this club, I get on well with all the squad and I am happy.

“Juve are a big team, however if Arsenal decide to sell me that is another thing altogether.

“But I am happy here and in my knowledge I am in the plans of the manager for a long time.”

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger are in awe of Manchester United and has sportingly called them the new “untouchables”.

Wenger once led team of self-styled invincibles to a season without defeat, but the Frenchman has conceded that Sir Alex Ferguson’s current Manchester United side could beat that.

United sit two points clear of Liverpool with a game in hand at the Barclays Premier League summit, with Arsenal a worrying 12 points off the pace in fifth.

Wenger, whose Gunners side went unbeaten in 2003/04, is refusing to give up on having a say in the title race but admits the Red Devils are currently some distance clear of the pack.

The two-goal return of Croatia striker Eduardo after a year out in last night’s 4-0 FA Cup fourth-round replay win over Cardiff gave Arsenal fans reason for cheer, but Wenger has warned that long-time rivals United will take some stopping.

“We are on a very strong run at the moment and we have promised to give everything until the last day of the season but at the moment Manchester United look untouchable,” confessed the Arsenal boss.

“They are 12 points ahead of us and they have a game against Fulham which they will certainly win. If they win that they are 15 points in front and that means they need to lose five games.

“Let us say they lose one against us, that still leaves four. They still need to lose four other games, which they haven’t done yet this season.

“But our basic target is to get into the Champions League and therefore the championship remains a priority.”

Wenger, meanwhile, told Cardiff that the trouncing meted out to them at the Emirates could be a good thing for their promotion ambitions.

The Frenchman believes that talented Championship sides can often get sidetracked in the knockout competitions to the detriment of their league form.

“Look at the table. They are, I think, fourth with a few games in hand. For them it is better they go out of the FA Cup,” he said.

“I saw it a few years ago when we battled with Sheffield United when they had (Phil) Jagielka and (Michael) Tonge in a very good team.

“There were seasons when they did very well in the FA Cup and the League Cup and in the end they always failed to come up because it was very demanding to do both.

“In the Championship there are 24 teams so there are a lot of games. This is better for them.”

Bluebirds manager Dave Jones, who guided the club to last year’s final, was disappointed at a performance he rated as one his side’s poorest of the season.

“The fans paid good money to come and watch us and we didn’t do them justice or ourselves justice,” said Jones.

“Anyone who wore a yellow shirt out there can’t stake a claim to anything. I’m not taking anything away from Arsenal because they sniffed that we weren’t at it and went for the jugular.

“We have to learn from this and bounce back. Hopefully they will react to what has happened here.”

Jones also joined in the unanimous praise for Eduardo, who earned several ovations from the crowd before leaving the field with a slight hamstring twinge.

“I’m pleased for any player that comes back from an horrendous injury like his,” added Jones.

“We’ve all seen situations like that in football; I had an injury that finished my career as a player. “It’s a long road back so it’s fantastic to see a player come back like that.”

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says he’ll never leave the club because the board has always given him full control.

It has been a tempestuous week in the Premier League with several managerial sackings.

Portsmouth axed former captain Tony Adams and it was followed with Luiz Felipe Scolari’s sacking at Chelsea last week. Wenger has been at Arsenal for nearly 13 years since his appointment in September 1996.

The Frenchman is under contract until 2011, and has rejected approaches from the biggest clubs in Europe - such as Real Madrid and Barcelona.

In an interview with the Daily Express, Wenger shed light on his special relationship with the Arsenal board, praising the club for having a “dependable structure” in place.

He said: “I don’t feel I have a special security. I believe that it is very difficult to compare someone who is there for six months to someone who has done 12 years at a club.

“There is reciprocity as well. I’ve shown a lot of faith in many special circumstances to the club. I enjoy it and I appreciate the confidence I have from this club. I believe it has to go both ways and you must give the club the feeling you won’t jump out at the first difficulty, and you will not change the club at the first opportunity.”

For now though, Wenger is focused on their FA Cup fourth round replay with Cardiff. Arsenal had to overcome a recent goal through, in which they scored just once in four matches, despite being undefeated in 11 games.

“It’s completely unlike Arsenal,” added Wenger. “I don’t think it is characteristic of our team and we are used to scoring goals and we will score goals again.

“It is difficult for everybody to score goals, but I am convinced if we keep working well as a team, playing well as a team, that will come back quickly.”

Arsenal have been granted a work permit for Andrei Arshavin ahead of a proposed move from Zenit St Petersburg.

The Gunners are continuing talks with the Russian international and his club over the last few weeks.A deal is yet to be agreed, but Arsenal have applied for a permit as they appear to be closing on a move.

The Gunners have until Monday to finalise the move and the announcement that they now have a permit in place is likely to see the North London club push to try and finalise his capture.

Manager Arsene Wenger said on Friday he wanted the deal done within 24 hours.