Thomas Partey was absent on Saturday evening as Arsenal strolled to another emphatic victory at the London Stadium.
The Gunners followed up their 6-0 triumph in east London earlier this year with a 5-2 win to close the gap on the league leaders Liverpool to six points before they face Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.
Partey has been a critical figure amid the good and bad this term, with the midfielder finally enjoying a prolonged run in the side having endured a couple of injury-ravaged seasons. Partey has performed like a man desperate to earn a new deal in north London, and Mikel Arteta has continued to stick by the Ghanaian.
Before Saturday's bout, he'd only failed to start one Premier League game. This was his first enforced absence, and here's what we know thus far about Partey's latest injury setback.
Thomas Partey arriving with the squad, so it must have been a pretty late decision not to include him. https://t.co/lpOx5zbkhc
— Charles Watts (@charles_watts) November 30, 2024
While Partey wasn't included in the matchday squad, the 31-year-old still made the trip across London with the team.
All we know is that he's dealing with an unspecified muscle problem. Partey has suffered from an array of issues since joining the club, but he's primarily been bogged down with hamstring and groin complaints.
Arteta said ahead of the game that several unnamed players hadn't been able to train on Thursday, thus thrusting their status for Saturday's fixture in doubt. Partey has played a lot of football this season, and he may merely be dealing with muscle fatigue. His presence on the sidelines at the London Stadium was undoubtedly a positive.
What a signing Jorginho was. He’s such an important player off the pitch and as a leader. The influence of having guys like him to guide the younger players can’t be understated.
We look much better with a controller like him next to Rice. Clear we need to add another soon. pic.twitter.com/0laB1Tw6gp
— Ben Mattinson (@Ben_Mattinson_) November 30, 2024
However, it's not yet clear whether he'll miss any more games. The turnaround is constantly swift up until the new year, with Arsenal settling into a routine of playing twice a week. Manchester United are up next in the Premier League on Wednesday night, and Arteta will want Partey fit and available for that contest. However, Jorginho was assured at the base of midfield against the Hammers and the boss won't hesitate in utilising the Italian again if Partey cannot feature.
Mikel Merino was also absent on Saturday due to a knee problem. The Spaniard missed the first month of the season with a shoulder injury but had shown signs of finding his groove in recent outings. Like Partey, there's no timeframe for his return.
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