Arsenal want to sign players who can physically dominate opponents like Thomas Partey

Manchester City’s 4-1 win over Premier League title rivals Arsenal brutally exposed the Gunners’ weaknesses.

Man to man, all Man City players came out on top.

Getty

The reigning champions nullified the threat posed by Mikel Arteta’s young side save for a brilliant moment from Rob Holding for his second-half goal.

And that dominance was largely down to Man City’s physical prowess.

It’s something the Gunners have already considered when building their roster for next season, according to The Times.

That comes on top of trying to add depth as the injuries to William Saliba – who has reportedly not yet reached an agreement on a new contract – and Gabriel Jesus signal another flaw in their title charge.

Edu could have almost landed Moises Caicedo in January for £70m from Brighton’s, demonstrating the type of player the Gunners are looking for as the Seagulls man fits the physical bill.

Not to mention their main target this summer is West Ham’s Declan Rice.

Getty

They also had their eye on Everton’s Amadou Onana in January, another player who can dominate in midfield.

But one star Arsenal have that fits the profile of the player the Gunners need in physical fights on the pitch is Thomas Partey.

The 29-year-old Ghanaian midfielder has been key to Arsenal’s success this year and his absence or lack of form is clearly reflected in the Gunners’ performances.

There is no doubt that the Arsenal squad possess some incredible talent, with their position in the league speaking for itself.

Getty

But it’s clear that such a young side, who depend on skillful passing, need to be backed by players of Partey’s strength.

Games like the 1-0 defeat at Everton and the 2-2 draw with West Ham have also shown that there is still work to be done when it comes to the Gunners taking on teams who can bully you off the ball .

And should Arsenal want to be crowned Premier League champions, bringing in players similar to those who kept them at bay on Wednesday will be crucial.