Wenger fights on: Arsenal manager hits back after Fergie claims his season is finished

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The Arsenal boss has seen his team's season fall apart over the last two months, culminating in the 5-3 aggregate Champions League loss at Anfield on Tuesday night.

The club have also slumped to six points behind United in the title race - having once boasted a five-point lead - and on Sunday face a must-win game at Old Trafford to keep their season alive.

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Still fighting: Arsene Wenger (right) may have been beaten by Rafa Benitez's Liverpool in the Champions League but he refuses to admit defeat in the title race

Earlier today, Ferguson said it would be hard for Arsenal to win the League even if they beat his team and claimed the psychological damage of the Liverpool result would play in United's favour.

But Wenger hit back this afternoon, insisting he has built a team of "winners" who are in no mood to give up on silverware this season.

The Frenchman said: "This is where you see the winners and losers. The winners continue to believe and fight when the others stop and that's what we have to do.

"The Liverpool game was a big blow but we are focussed and ready to make life hard for United. I can understand people who say the team's season is over but if we win at Manchester United we can win the title and that's why it's important to focus.

"What is at stake on Sunday is the work of a whole year. If we go there and don't believe then it is over. But do you really think that we will go to Manchester United thinking that our season is finished? That would be ridiculous. We have worked so hard and we will fight until the last second."

Wenger also reiterated his view that key decisions from referees - notably penalty incidents in the two legs of the Champions League quarter-final with Liverpool - have gone against his side this season.

He added: "If we were to win now it would be my most satisfying title because we have been punished in the last seven weeks more than any team I have seen in England. Every decision has gone against us."

Ferguson was at Anfield for the epic clash with Liverpool on Tuesday and left early thinking Arsenal had done enough to reach the semi-finals.

He said: "I left when it went to 2-2 because I thought Arsenal were through but I got down the stairs and Liverpool had a penalty. It's hard to recover from these things but we've got to look at ourselves and make sure we keep going."