Wayne Rooney scored a hat-trick as United nothced up their biggest win over their old rivals, sending them above Manchester City at the top of the Premier League, while Arsenal now languish only a place outside the bottom three, with just a single point.

Already under pressure following the exits of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri, Wenger was condemned by Arsenal old-boy Paul Merson, who criticised his old mentor on TV.

It is likely the Frenchman will face further fire. But he is adamant he will not walk away.

"No," said Wenger, when asked if he would quit.

"Of course it hurts. It's humiliating.

"But you could see we had not recovered physically from Wednesday. They had class and they punished us."

The memories of Wednesday's fine performance against Udinese were banished by this record landslide though, which will at the very least bring renewed calls for new faces.

Wenger confirmed Korean striker Park Chu-yong could be confirmed as an Arsenal player later in the day.

However, it seemed his defence and midfield were in more urgent need of strengthening, although Wenger feels the absence of so many regular members of his first-choice XI was a key factor.

"We had too many players out. It was too much," he said.

"We were poor defensively but there were points in the game where we had quality.

"I just feel we collapsed more physically than anything.

"It is better not to talk too much about this because it hurts.

"We have to sort out our problems because, so far, we haven't managed to do that.

"We are working very hard to find players but of course we are behind the other teams when it comes to wages."

Efforts to sign Bolton's Gary Cahill will continue, with Wenger confirming Arsenal need a defender and a midfield player.

And while the search continues, he is ready to take any criticism.

"I am in a public job and I have to accept that," Wenger said.

"I have to make the right decision for the club and I will continue to that.

"We have played three games and I think you should give me more time to say if I have got it completely wrong."

Wenger has an unlikely ally in United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, whose praise of the Gunners chief before the game continued after the drubbing.

"Of course I feel sympathy for him," said Ferguson.

"He is a great football man. He has done an incredible job for Arsenal for 15 years.

"He has given them a quality of football that they have never experienced.

"He brought some exciting players to the club.

"He deserves respect for that."

Ferguson could hardly fail to be impressed by his own side, who head Manchester City on goal difference, with both teams retaining their 100% record on a day when, between them, they put north London firmly in its place with an overall 13-3 hammering.

Danny Welbeck started the ball rolling before Ashley Young bagged the first of his two goals.

In between, David de Gea saved Robin van Persie's penalty, so by the time Theo Walcott pulled one back for the Gunners, Wayne Rooney had established daylight with his 150th United goal.

The second half brought more misery for Wenger and his players, with Rooney adding two more and Nani and Park Ji-sung finding the net before Young wrapped up the scoring in stoppage time, Van Persie having earlier netted what turned out to be scant consolation.

"When you play Arsenal, you don't expect that," said Ferguson.

"We have had some great results against them in the past but when you see Arsenal had a weakened team like that, you do expect to score goals because all their quality was in the forward positions.

"When we hit form like that, someone suffers. Arsenal unfortunately suffered."

The one downside for United was the loss of Danny Welbeck to a hamstring injury that will rule him out of contention for England's forthcoming Euro 2012 qualifiers.

For Rooney, though, there are no problems.

He has now leapt above Ruud van Nistelrooy and into United's top 10 goalscorers list, 97 adrift of club record scorer Sir Bobby Charlton who has 249.

"It is a special day," said Rooney.

"It is always a great feeling to score. Now I have over 150 goals for a club like United. Hopefully there are many more to come.

"I am delighted with the way it is going.

"I worked hard in pre-season. I have started well and the team have started great.

"I was aware I was one off before the game.

"I asked how many Bobby Charlton. Giggsy said I had another 100 to go. That is a target, to try and do that.

"Hopefully I will do it in the next few years."