Arsenal have been handed an injury boost ahead of this weekend’s Premier League clash against Brentford.
In a recent Twitter post, journalist James Benge had this to say on the matter.
He said: “I’m told Thomas Partey has returned to full training ahead of Arsenal’s game against Brentford.”
The midfielder has been out injured since last month with a thigh issue which has caused him to miss the north London club’s three previous league games and their first Europa League game of the season against Zurich.
Having played the full 90 minutes of all three of the Gunners’ opening league games of the campaign, this highlights how important he is for Mikel Arteta, who will surely be pleased to see the Partey back in training.
In the three league games he has played in, Arsenal conceded just two goals, whereas in the three games he’s missed, they conceded five, which shows how much of an impact his absence has had on the team from a defensive point of view.
To further highlight his defensive attributes and what he offers the team, only Ben White (9) has won more tackles in the league this season than the Ghanaian (8).
As well as his vital defensive prowess, Partey’s overall performances in the league have earned him an early season rating of 7.29/10, making him Arsenal’s fourth-highest rated player according to WhoScored.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s clash against Brentford, the fact that they currently have a higher rate of goals per shot (0.18) than any other side in the league this season suggests that the Gunners will need Partey and his defensive skills in the team, to stop the Bees from picking up a positive result.
Moving forward, if the midfielder is fit enough to play on Sunday, Arteta should have no doubts about putting him back into the starting XI, as Partey has proved himself to be a crucial figure for the team in the middle of the pitch.
