Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta provides crucial Thomas Partey injury update ahead of Everton clash
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed in a pre-match press conference that Thomas Partey remains a doubt to start their upcoming Premier League showdown against Everton.
The Ghanaian midfield maestro recently made his comeback as a substitute in the win against Leicester City over the weekend, following a troublesome thigh injury. Despite the expectation that Partey may be able to start the Toffees' clash, Arteta has provided some details about the 29-year-old's current fitness status.
Speaking to the press (via Football London), he said:
"He hasn't trained much. He only had one session and he will train again today. He was out for a few weeks and he needs to get the rhythm back."
Partey's absence has been felt in the past, with the midfielder missing out on games against Manchester City and Aston Villa due to a muscular injury. However, new signing Jorginho has stepped up to take his spot after making a £12 million move from Chelsea in the January transfer window.
Arteta's men enter a jam-packed schedule, including games against Bournemouth, Fulham and Sporting twice in the coming weeks. The Gunners will be hoping that Partey can regain his match fitness and play a key role in the team's run-in towards the end of the season.
With the Europa League set to resume soon, Arteta may choose to tread carefully with his star player's fitness, potentially opting for Jorginho to start once again in midfield.
Meanwhile, there is some good news for Arsenal. According to Football London, Gabriel Jesus is expected to return to the squad before the upcoming international break after recovering from a knee injury sustained while at the World Cup.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta discusses playing time
Arteta has previously admitted the challenge of maintaining player contentment when they're not getting the starting spot they crave.
There has been notable speculation regarding Kieran Tierney, with reports suggesting that the left-back may be considering a move to Newcastle United for playing time.
However, the Arsenal manager remains unbothered (via ArseBlog):
“I’m not thinking about that, I’m thinking about the best for the team and playing the players who’ve earned the right to play minutes, which they all deserve and we’re going to try to do that in the next couple of games."