Arsene Wenger declared that his team must toughen up if they are to make an impact in the title race next season.

The Arsenal manager saw his men fade in their bid to win the Premier League this season.

Even more frustrating was that Arsenal beat the newly crowned champions Leicester TWICE – only to fall away in alarming fashion.

Victory at the Etihad against Manchester City on Sunday will keep alive hopes of finishing runners-up to Leicester. But Wenger admitted: “It hurts”.

And he is in no doubt what is a major factor behind Arsenal’s failure in the league.

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“We have to add something defensively as a team,” Wenger said. “We need to be more ruthless.”

Wenger pointed to the recent 3-3 draw at West Ham to illustrate his point. Arsenal were 2-0 up, then 3-2 down and eventually came away with a draw. Arsenal were bullied into submission by the physical presence of Andy Carroll.

“Once you are two-up at West Ham and you finish 3-3 you question the team defensively,” Wenger said.

There were other examples – at Manchester United, who had been dismantled at the Emirates, at Southampton and at Liverpool, in another 3-3 draw.

Andy Carroll scores against Arsenal last month (
Image:
Getty)
Manchester United also saw Arsenal off (
Image:
Getty)
The Gunners' lowest point came against Southampton (
Image:
Christopher Lee)

What Arsenal appear to have lost is the ability to win scrappy games by a single goal if necessary, and without playing the eye-catching football Wenger promotes.

“I don’t think we are soft,” he insisted – but then conceded: “But, yes, we need to toughen up. In some games we were caught.”

Wenger also believes that the time of the Big Four’s domination is over. The Premier League’s ­Champions League spots are no longer the divine right of Arsenal, Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea.

“You have got West Ham moving into a new stadium with more potential because of the finances that brings,” said Wenger. “And Tottenham are creating a new stadium as well.

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“So in a few years, the potential in England will be much more shared than everywhere else, and you can get more surprises.

“Clubs down our league can buy the best players in France, Spain and Italy. So they have the potential to build a big team. And clubs in the second half of the table, like Norwich and Swansea, will be rich as well.

Is the domination of the top four places coming to an end? “Exactly,” he said. “This might be questioned in the future. Look at the predictions at the start of this season. Many said Chelsea would win it again.”

But he also highlighted that while Leicester’s budget is far from the most extravagant in the country, the new champions are not paupers.

Leicester City players celebrate earlier this week (
Image:
Getty)

“Let’s not forget Leicester are not poor,” said Wenger. “Let’s not go overboard. If you go to the car park at Leicester, you will see some nice cars.

“But, yes, they have done extremely well with less resources, and their efficiency level between the money spent and the results is by far the best in Europe.

“And you have to give them credit for that,” he added.

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