Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has expressed his pleasure at the return of midfielder Thomas Partey following a four-month absence due to injury.
The Ghanaian international made his comeback in the second half of the Gunners’ 6-0 rout of Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, replacing Jorginho in the 65th minute.
Arteta acknowledged that Partey still needs to regain his match fitness, stating that he will have to earn his place in the starting lineup.
“Today, obviously Thomas is available now to play a certain number of minutes. He needs to build that, because it was his first minutes after four months, which is a long time. And then, like everybody, you need to have the right to earn the minutes,” he said post-match.
Despite his prolonged absence, Partey showed promise in his brief cameo, contributing to Arsenal’s dominance in the game.
The Gunners raced to a 3-0 lead within the first 13 minutes, courtesy of goals from Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, and Kai Havertz.
🇬🇭 Thomas Partey vs Sheffield United || First minutes after four-month absence pic.twitter.com/0xWQ75owHJ
— Owuraku Ampofo (@_owurakuampofo) March 5, 2024
Declan Rice and Ben White also found the net, along with an own goal from Jayden Bogle, giving Arsenal a commanding 5-0 advantage at halftime.
The emphatic victory kept Arsenal in contention for the title, moving them to within two points of leaders Liverpool. On the other hand, Sheffield United remain rooted to the foot of the table, struggling to escape the relegation zone.
Partey’s return represents a timely boost for Arsenal, who are chasing their first Premier League title in over two decades and also in contention for the Champions League despite losing the first leg of their round of 16 tie against FC Porto in Portugal.