Arteta expects big impact from returning Arsenal ace who can form “powerful” partnership with summer signing

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta seems excited by the prospect of bringing Thomas Partey back into his midfield for the final few months of the season.

The Ghana international has barely played this season due to injury, and when he has featured, he has occupied an unfamiliar role at right-back, so Gunners fans are yet to see what he can do alongside Declan Rice in midfield.

Rice joined Arsenal from West Ham United in the summer and has proven one of the signings of the season with some commanding midfield displays for Arteta’s side, so it will be interesting to see how he and Partey can work as a partnership.

Discussing the prospect in his press conference ahead of the Sheffield United game, Arteta made it clear that Partey has been missed and that he and Rice can be a powerful partnership for the final stage of the season.

“I think they only played in the Community Shield together in midfield, but after that no, so that tells you as well how much we have missed Thomas,” Arteta told reporters.

“A player like him, the impact he can have for the last three months can be really big … I think that will be a very powerful midfield (with Rice).”

Arsenal injuries – could Arteta’s side be title favourites when they have everyone fit?

Arsenal are very much still in this title race, and in a way it’s all the more impressive considering we’ve barely seen them field their strongest line up all season.

Partey has barely played, and the same is true for Jurrien Timber, while other key players like Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko have also missed a lot of games.

If Arsenal can get all these names back and avoid more bad luck with injuries then they really could have a very promising end to the campaign, both in the Premier League and the Champions League.