Ferguson claimed "there is no player in this country who would not want to play for Manchester United" and that "Patrick Vieira would have loved to come here last season but they wouldn’t let him".

The French international’s riposte was brief and to the point. "I have no comment to make about that. I am just disappointed that someone like him is talking like that," he stated simply.

That Vieira is now captaining Arsenal in place of the retiring Tony Adams and is involved in talks over a new contract should be enough to persuade even Ferguson that he is committed to Arsenal.

Especially as the midfielder can see great things ahead for last season’s Double winners as they approach this weekend’s Community Shield against Liverpool.

Ferguson may have scoffed at Arsene Wenger’s assertion that Arsenal could dominate English football and he will not like the Frenchman’s fresh claim that while he believes United will sign a new striker, the Gunners squad is already complete.

However, Vieira backed up his manager’s confidence in the club and the existing squad, making clear his own belief that players - like World Cup winner Gilberto Silva - do want to play at Highbury.

"United were the best team of the 1990s in this country but I believe that will change now because we are here to make it change," declared Vieira.

"Their history in the 1990s was bigger than ours, like Liverpool in the 1980s. But Arsenal can be the team of the 2000s.

"If we win the League again this year then that will change a lot. We are much stronger this season as we have the belief, confidence and quality from last season. We have a really young squad."

United have splashed out £30million this summer already, with Wenger expecting them to sign another forward before the transfer window shuts at the end of this month.

However, Vieira warned: "When you see a team spend that amount of money, it is unbelievable. But money does not necessarily mean that you win trophies. It is what happens on the pitch that really matters.

"We want to do well like we did last season as we want to keep on winning trophies.

"The ambition of this club is to go forward. That is why we are signing new players and are building a new stadium. It is just up to us to do it. Our motivation is really high as we know that we can do it.

"We want to improve in Europe this season but the Premiership is still our main target."

Indeed, one worry is a lack of natural width until Robert Pires returns at the start of November and Fredrik Ljungberg comes back in about five weeks’ time.

Wenger deliberated over signing another left-sided player but given that all his main injury worries, including Giovanni van Bronckhorst, are left-sided, he turned to Silva instead and will rely on Sylvain Wiltord or Edu to plug the gap on that flank.

The Arsenal boss nevertheless remains just as confident as his new captain that the Gunners are ready to defend their title.

"I believe we will do it again. We want to win the title again and we are determined to do it. The team are really hungry for more success," he revealed.

"I have been here five years now. We have won the title twice and Manchester United have won it three times.

"In the 10 years before that, they dominated English football but that is what we want to achieve now. It is possible because we are strong mentally and physically and have belief in ourselves from last season."

Wenger, who described the title race as being like the Tour de France, is not about to rise to Ferguson’s bait about Vieira.

"I am not ready for the mind games yet! I have not switched my mind on yet for that, I am just concentrating on what we want to achieve together," he insisted.

"I think United will spend more money, but we do not need to. Otherwise, we would need another coach to take us to matches!

"We have good young players coming through and the team is growing together. It was the first summer that I did not have any sleepless nights over a player leaving.

The effort and hard work that the players have put in during pre-season training shows they are "stronger than ever."