This gunner is Arsenal's outstanding player of the season so far

 By Danong

For the first time on Sunday against Arsenal, a Pep Guardiola side conceded five goals and lost a game by more than four goals.

Mikel Arteta's Arsenal managed to humble Manchester City as the boys in red and white thrashed their main rivals of the last two league seasons 5-1.

Martin Odegaard gave Arsenal the lead early in the first half. Erling Haaland managed to equalize early in the second half, but the Norwegian's goal only seemed to poke the bear.

Arsenal, through Thomas Partey, Kai Havertz, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Ethan Nwaneri, responded mightily for that healthy win.

Most Gooners rose to the occasion, but you can't talk about that resounding victory without mentioning the top top performance Thomas Partey put on.

This season, the soon to be free agent, managed to shake off his injury struggles and has been available for almost every Premier League match day, running the show in midfield or filling in at right back.

There has been displeasure about Partey playing at right back, given how the midfield misses him when he does that.

Performances such as the one versus Manchester City exemplify this notion.

If Arsenal fail to win the league, it might be because Arteta took his best midfielder and nullified his impact by playing him at RB instead of midfield in crucial games. 

Examples are Newcastle, Aston Villa, Liverpool and Brighton, leading to dropped points in such a tight Premier league race.

In the last three games Thomas Partey played 90 minutes in midfield:

- Beat Palace Away 5-1
- Beat Brentford Away 3-1
- Beat Man City Home 5-1

In midfield versus City, Partey chewed up their engine room and spat them out. Certainly a force to be reckoned with, he did everything for Arsenal to control the game. 0 yellow cards, a super goal, and midfield domination. Here are his stats:

- Minutes played: 90
- Touches: 51
- Accurate long balls: 3/4
- Tackles: 5
- Clearances: 2
- Interceptions: 2
- Accurate passes: 45 (88.2%)
- Total shots: 1
- Shots on target: 1
- Goals: 1

Myles Lewis-Skelly, Declan Rice, Raya and Nwaneri may receive all the plaudits from that game, but I don't see how Arsenal would have won without Partey, who was absolutely unbelievable all over the pitch.

It would really be criminal if Arteta and Arsenal let him go at the end of the season.

They surely have to give him a new contract.