Arsenal will welcome Manchester United on Sunday and right before this key Premier League encounter, Thomas Partey has picked up an injury.
The Ghanaian FA has confirmed that Thomas Partey has been left out of the matchday squad after picking up an injury in training.
A statement read(as quoted): “Arsenal ace Thomas Partey is left out of the squad due to injury.
“According to his club, the player picked up an injury in training and could be on the sidelines for a while, however the Black Stars medical teams is monitoring the situation.”
How will Arteta replace Thomas Partey?
Arsenal have signed Declan Rice in the summer so Mikel Arteta won’t be too concerned with Partey’s injury but on Sunday, Arsenal’s defence is definitely going to see a reshuffle.
Thomas Partey has been playing as a right-back in the first few matches of the campaign but now that he is unavailable, Ben White is likely to return to the right-hand side of defence. This will allow Gabriel to come back into the side and pair up with William Saliba in central defence.
Tomiyasu is another option for the right-back role but Partey’s injury should not have any impact in midfield. Rice will play as the CDM with Kai Havertz and Odegaard operating in the more advanced roles.
There’s still no concrete update on the injury but as per the initial rumours, Thomas Partey has not sustained a hamstring injury but he could still be on the sidelines for around three months. There are suggestions that the Ghanaian midfielder has sustained a grade-three groin injury.
Partey has become massively injury-prone since moving to England but even after securing Rice’s transfer, Mikel Arteta refused to sell him in the summer. However, if the midfielder is indeed out for three months then there’s every chance the Arsenal manager will green-light his sale at the start of next year.
