Arsenal have been dealt a major blow ahead of their fixture against Aston Villa on Saturday.
Thomas Partey missed Arsenal’s crucial game against Manchester City on Wednesday night in the Premier League and it showed just how vital he is to their performances.
Arsenal lost the game 3-1, dealing a huge blow to their title chances.
Manchester City now find themselves at the top of the Premier League, but Arsenal do have a game in hand. The Gunners face Aston Villa in a lunchtime kick-off, which gives them an excellent chance of regaining their position at the top of the table, for a few hours at least.
However, according to journalist Chris Wheatley, Partey will miss their game against Aston Villa.
Thomas Partey won't be involved for Arsenal against Aston Villa tomorrow.
Precautionary measure due to a muscular injury. #afc https://t.co/Eli2bLhmtE
— Chris Wheatley (@ChrisWheatley_) February 17, 2023
As mentioned, Partey plays a pivotal role for Arsenal and even against lesser opposition in Aston Villa, it’s a huge blow.
Thankfully for Arsenal, Jorginho was signed during the January transfer window as a backup for Granit Xhaka and Partey, but he doesn’t quite offer the same defensive protection as Partey.