Sir Alex Ferguson opens up about 'biblical' Arsene Wenger feud and one huge Man Utd regret

Sir Alex Ferguson has spoken out about his rivalry with Arsenal legend Arsene Wenger and says that one achievement he could never land still irks him

Sir Alex Ferguson is still bugged by the fact that he never enjoyed an unbeaten season in the Premier League like Arsene Wenger. The Manchester United hero has also reflected on a "biblical" rivalry with the ex-Arsenal boss.

In his nearly 27 years at the helm at Old Trafford, Ferguson won essentially all there was to win. A whopping 13 Premier League titles were his crowning glory, but he also guided United to five FA Cups, four League Cups and two Champions League trophies, among others.

Yet, for all this success, one achievement eluded him. Ferguson's rivalry with ex-Gunners manager Wenger was fierce, and the two held a duopoly over English football from 1996 to 2004, trading league titles.

In 2003-04, Arsenal won the top-flight without losing a single game and were dubbed the Invincibles. Ferguson regrets that he was never able to pull this off with United and says it still frustrates him.

Ferguson wrote in his new book, Games of My Life: "The one accomplishment that Arsene managed that I never achieved was his unbeaten record in the Premier League during the 2003–04 season. This still gnaws at me, because I understand the depth of the achievement."

The Scot's clashes with the Frenchman defined that era of the Premier League. The two faced off 49 times between 1996 and 2013. Ferguson was victorious on 23 occasions, Wenger picked up 16 wins, and 10 games were drawn.

Reflecting on the feud, Ferguson penned: "If there's one thing Arsene and I would probably have agreed on throughout our long and well-publicised rivalry, it's that despite us both having strong accents, I'm the one who's harder to understand.

"We clashed constantly, and the persistent friction between us was littered with tense games, explosive outbursts, brawls in the tunnel, pizza fusillades and red cards. It was biblical - all fire and brimstone. We were the bitterest of rivals and, for me, a victory over Arsenal always had a particularly sweet taste. And I'm sure the feelings were mutual.

"Arsene and I were of the same generation, arriving during or shortly after the Second World War. We were both born to working-class parents and had demanding fathers. Though I enjoyed more success as a footballer, he speaks more languages. He and I began managing - he with Nancy in France and me with East Stirlingshire in Scotland - when we were in our early thirties.

"It was just us, the players and muddy pitches - no data analysts, nutrition experts, sports scientists, sporting directors or technical directors. There were also no television cameras and hours of punditry. It was football in the raw. Arsene may be quieter, more introspective and pay closer attention to his diet than me, but we shared the absolute devotion to our respective teams."

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Unlike Ferguson, who harmoniously left United in 2013, Wenger's Gunners exit in 2018 was rather bitter. A combination of fan hostility and board intervention saw the Frenchman step down after a 22-year reign.

On Wenger's acrimonious resignation, Ferguson claims: "I think part of the reason Arsenal's form faltered from the mid-2000s was because of Arsene's loyalty towards the club. The financial demands of a new stadium meant that not only was he deprived of a budget he might have used to strengthen, but he needed to put players up for sale to keep Arsenal's finances in order.

"I'm sure there were other factors, but I'm glad I never felt such pressure at Old Trafford. The way he was treated by some Arsenal fans at the end of his managerial career was a stain on the club's reputation."

Games of My Life by Alex Ferguson was published on October 8 by Macmillan.