Thomas Partey has been excellent for Arsenal in the first half of this season and is a crucial piece of Mikel Arteta's midfield jigsaw. Arsenal's likelihood to win a game increases by a large margin when he is playing compared to when he is absent from kick-off. Since his arrival in 2020, he has been an automatic starter under Arteta.
However, the Gunners suffered a blow on Friday evening when the Ghanaian was subbed off at half-time with an injury. Albert Sambi Lokonga replaced him, which automatically weakened the strength of the midfield, and subsequently, a 1-0 defeat followed.
Premier League legends Roy Keane and Ian Wright highlighted the impact of Partey and the concern for Sambi Lokonga. Speaking on ITV about Manchester City’s goal, Wright said: "When you see Alvarez there you’re wondering who is picking him up? Any striker worth his sauce is going to turn and shoot, then I think Jack Grealish's vision and capability - keeping the ball here - and then knowing where Ake is, and then this is a very, very good finish, very calm.
.png?w=600)
