Arsenal will be facing Manchester City tonight in a highly anticipated Premier League clash at the Emirates Stadium, but unfortunately, they will be without midfielder Thomas Partey. The 29-year-old Ghanaian has been ruled out of the match due to a tight muscle, according to football.london.
Partey’s absence is undoubtedly a significant blow for the Gunners, as he has proved to be a crucial player for Mikel Arteta’s squad this season. In the absence of fellow midfielder Mohamed Elneny, who is already sidelined, Partey has taken on even greater importance in the team. However, it is not thought that the injury is serious.
Replacing Partey in the starting lineup is expected to be January signing Jorginho. However, there are concerns about the difference in attributes between the two players. Arteta had expressed no new injury concerns in his pre-City press conference, so Partey’s exclusion came as a surprise to many.
Meanwhile, Arsenal had been hopeful that Manchester City’s star striker Erling Haaland would be unavailable for the match due to a thigh injury. However, the Norwegian took part in training on Tuesday and has been cleared to play. Arsenal
will be without Gabriel Jesus, who is still out with a knee injury sustained at the World Cup.
Partey’s absence means that Arsenal’s lengthy injury list continues to grow. Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson are still working their way back to full fitness, and Albert Sambi Lokonga, who would have been the usual replacement, is on loan at Crystal Palace. The Gunners will need to rely on their other players to step up in Partey’s absence and try to secure a victory over Manchester City.