Mikel Arteta has delivered an update on the injury status of Thomas Partey, Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu ahead of Arsenal's Premier League clash with Brighton at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
The latter pair were both absent for Monday's 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace after Tierney sustained a knee injury that is set to keep him sidelined until the end of the season. Tomiyasu meanwhile is continuing to recover from a calf problems that have kept him out of action since January, and is not expected back in training until April 16.
Partey on the other sustained an injury during the loss at Selhurst Park. football.london reported that the Ghanaian had suffered a thigh strain similar to the one he picked up in last season's North London Derby defeat to Tottenham, and Arsenal put out a statement confirming this on Thursday. Partey is now set to be monitored continuously by experts for the next few weeks. Ahead of Saturday's crucial clash with Brighton Arteta has provided an update on the situations of all three.
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When asked about Partey specifically the prognosis was not a positive one. "It is a little bit ambiguous but he has a significant injury," Arteta said. "We have to keep assessing him but he’ll be out for some weeks."
"He could be," the Spaniard added when asked if Partey might return before the end of the season. "But, he it could not be the case because it’s an area where he had a previous injury as well and he felt it straight away. He’s not fit."
There has also been criticism of Scotland manager Steve Clark for playing Tierney throughout the entirety of two friendly matches during the international break, but Arteta refused to be drawn into this.
"Our responsibility is to look after them when we have them here," the Arsenal boss said. When they go to the national team it’s the job and responsibility of Steve Clark to decide the team he thinks is best to win games. We have to have good communication with the national team, which we have, but these things happen.
The Gunners face a selection dilemma going into Saturday's match after Nuno Tavares had to be withdrawn before the seocnd half for the second time in as many starts during the defeat at Palace. Arteta has options availble to him at left back with Bukayo Saka, Cedric and Granit Xhaka all capable of playing there.
However, Arteta backed Tavares to bounce back from his difficult few months. "He's ready and he's willing," the Spaniard said when asked if the former Benfica left back might play on Saturday. "He will be disappointed, but it's part of the job and we have to make decisions to try to win football matches. There's nothing personal there.
In midfield it is expected that Albert Sambi Lokonga will come in to replace Partey. Mohamed Elneny is also an option but has not started in the Premier League since the 3-2 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford in December, and Arteta implied it is the Belgian who will be given the opportunity against Brighton.
"He played quite a lot in the first part of the season, but when you go to once a week because you don't have European football it’s more difficult to share the minutes because the minutes are less," the Spaniard said. "There are players that haven't had a lot of chances to play, so great opportunity for them to show what they can do."
