05 March 2024 , 12:03
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Mikel Arteta has warned Thomas Partey he faces a fight to retake his place at Arsenal.
Partey has had his season ravaged by injury, with groin and hamstring complaints keeping him out of action since October. He made his return from that long spell on the sidelines on Monday night as the Gunners thrashed Sheffield United.
The Ghanaian came off the bench at Bramall Lane, playing the final 25 minutes in defensive midfield. Though he is now fit again, Partey is facing an uphill battle to once again become a starter, despite having been a key part of Arsenal's midfield in last season's title charge.
The summer signing of Declan Rice, coupled with Jorginho's impressive performances in recent weeks, make a return for Partey difficult to envisage. Boss Arteta has now urged the 30-year-old to raise his game, with Takehiro Tomiyasu approaching his own return to fitness.
"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," Arteta said after the win.
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"And then, like everybody, you need to have the right to earn the minutes. We believe that today [the starting line-up] was the best option, at least to start the game. We had a long period after Newcastle. "It was nine days, we had the timing.
"Now it’s going to be very different in the next three days, we have another game, and then Porto so we’re going to have to manage everyone’s minutes. He’s [Tomiyasu] very close, he’s already doing something on the grass and hopefully we’re going to have him very close with us."
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Takehiro Tomiyasu is also close to making a returnArteta also hailed his team for their full-throttle performance against the Blades. The Gunners boss praised his signings from last summer, including Rice, for pushing the team to a new level.
"A great night – it’s a really difficult place to come but the way we started the game obviously made the difference. We were really aggressive, really positive. We maintained the rhythm, the hunger and I love that about the team," he said.
"Obviously picking the right players that could bring something that we didn’t have to the squad, and they’re certainly doing that and improving every single player, and the mechanisms and culture around the team.
"They are doing that but there’s still the most part of the season ahead and we know that that’s the case. We are trying to improve in every phase of play; they are understanding the chemistry of the players.
"And the desire they have to constantly be better, and improve in every area. If you do that, there are moments that you can be as dominant but it’s not easy that’s for sure."
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