Mikel Arteta was forced to make one major change to his Arsenal starting XI for the huge Premier League clash against Manchester City on Wednesday evening. Thomas Partey was left out of the squad as a precaution due to a muscular injury with Jorginho coming in to take his place.
The absence of Partey was an understandable worry for those associated with Arsenal as the 29-year-old is vital to Arteta's system. Nonetheless, unlike when Albert Sambi Lokonga had to come in for Partey in the game against Manchester United towards the start of the season that Arsenal lost, Jorginho, his replacement this time round, has bags of experience in big game situations.
Two unforced errors and the deadly combination of Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne saw Arsenal lose for the first time at Emirates Stadium in the league this season. However, Jorginho's performance in midfield was one of the shining lights for the home side.
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Clever positional play and touches saw the 31-year-old dictate play in the first half while his defensive contributions were also prominent as he made three interceptions and six ball recoveries. The second 45 minutes was not as great for Jorginho, but the same could be said for the entire Arsenal team, however it was certainly an impressive first start in red for the former Chelsea man.
Up next for Arteta and his players is a trip to Aston Villa where for the first time this season the Spaniard faces a number of huge selection decisions. Almost all usual starters for Arsenal, perhaps minus Bukayo Saka, have not quite been able to match the ridiculously high standards set prior to the World Cup which has resulted in a dip in form for the north Londoners.
Partey could be welcomed straight back into the team with his absence just a precaution as stated officially by Arsenal. Arteta also spoke on the absence of his lynchpin indicating they found out "very, very late" about his injury and that his prognosis is unknown. "We don’t know," he said when asked how Partey was feeling. "It’s what happens, it’s part of football. I think Jorgi played a good game and we have to assess Tommy to see how bad it is."
However, after Jorginho's display it would be harsh to leave him out of the team. The Gunners face Villa in the early kick off on Saturday which means the recovery time for Partey is only two days.
A long-term injury being suffered by the Ghana international would heavily impact Arsenal's title hopes. Therefore it could be best for Arteta to stick with Jorginho alongside Granit Xhaka especially as he's now proven he can fill that role in the midfield.
Following the Villa game, Partey will then have a further week to recover and if all goes to plan will likely be recalled for the visit to Leicester. Villa Park is not an easy place to win at and to do so teams need to be at their best with their best players. Partey of course fits into that category, but in the long run letting Partey sit out another game could actually benefit Arsenal in their title battle.
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