Arsene Wenger

Arsene Wenger insists Arsenal are not about to throw in the towel yet despite admitting their drive towards the Premier League title may have dropped off.

The Gunners were replaced at the top of the table by Manchester United on Saturday after they could only manage a point at home against Middlesbrough - their fourth consecutive league draw.

Indeed, it could have been much worse for Wenger's men, as a first-half strike from Jeremie Aliadiere against his former club looked to be setting Boro up for an unexpected double over Arsenal.

Once again, though, the Gunners dug deep and salvaged a point when Kolo Toure headed in a corner with just four minutes left.

While that was not enough to leapfrog back over Manchester United - who have both a better goal difference as well as a game in hand - Wenger believes it shows his young squad have the stomach, if not the current form, to stay the course over the final eight matches.

"I feel they gave absolutely everything, but there was a little fraction less of belief," said the Arsenal manager.

"There was a big disappointment in the dressing room. It was like a defeat. It is the flattest I have seen them after a game."

However, the Arsenal boss insisted: "I feel the team fights, we came back again against Boro and this team will fight until the end.

"I believe we need to keep fighting and then to turn things around.

"We didn't lose against Middlesbrough, a draw was not enough - but we have to lift the spirits and go for the next one."

Wenger declared: "We can do it - but first we want to turn our form around again, lift the spirits and focus on the next one."

The Arsenal manager accepted champions are built on winning when you are not at your best - something both Manchester United and Chelsea managed this weekend.

It could, though, have been a much different outcome had Emmanuel Adebayor not seen his early effort chalked out for offside when the final ball through looked to have come off Boro midfielder George Boateng.

However, Wenger rejected suggestions his team were feeling sorry for themselves after what has been a difficult few weeks, which started when striker Eduardo suffered a terrible leg injury at St Andrews.

"There is no obvious reason for it [dip in form], apart from the fact that we dropped two unbelievable points at Birmingham and that has maybe had consequences on our Premier League form," he said.

"However, you have to deal with it and I don't believe it's a good enough explanation."

Despite having now dropped eight points from a possible 12, all is not lost as Arsenal can swing the title race back in their favour by beating both Chelsea and United in the coming weeks.

Next Sunday sees the top four go head to head, and Wenger believes it could prove to be a turning point in the race for the title.

"It will be very interesting because we go to Chelsea and Manchester United plays Liverpool as well, so we will have a better idea next Sunday night as to what will happen until the end of the season," he said.

"Chelsea is a big game for us now, but maybe it's a good opportunity not to put too much pressure on ourselves and to show how good we are against a good side."