Mikel Arteta acknowledged that Arsenal struggled with the physicality of Manchester City in their recent Premier League match during his Chelsea pre-match press conference.
The Gunners were heavily defeated by the in-form City side at the Etihad Stadium, with Kevin De Bruyne netting twice along with goals from Erling Haaland and John Stones.
The game has been considered as the one that could decide the fate of the league title this season. Following the win, City moved ahead of Arsenal in the Premier League table after a 2-1 win over Fulham, taking a two-point lead, having played one game less.
As Arsenal prepares for their upcoming London derby against Chelsea, Arteta was questioned on whether the physical strength of the City side played a role in their defeat.
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“Centimetre by centimetre on the day, yes [they were bigger], but it takes time to build the perfect team,” the Spaniard said.
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With that answer in mind, Arteta was also asked if the Gunners need to target more physically imposing players during the upcoming transfer window, a question to which he replied: “It’s a great question and you think you might go in that direction. But playing with Gael Clichy, David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Kun Aguero, Sterling – City collected 100 points.
“Xavi, Iniesta, Messi, Pedro – six titles [at Barcelona]. Good players, incredible players. In the right moment, they step up. They love what they do and they create the right chemistry.
“You have them and they are all two metres tall? Even better. Great. Are they good enough technically? Are they sharp enough? Can they turn? The perfect machine – that’s what we all want. Give me 24 of those. We are all looking for the perfect squad, and hopefully, we can find it.”
Arsenal can reclaim the top spot with victory over an underwhelming Chelsea side, but City can wrestle back the initiative 24 hours later when they host struggling West Ham.
