Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has hinted that he could return to action soon despite Mikel Arteta saying it was unlikely he would play again this season. Partey once again injured his thigh during the 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace earlier this month and has been a notable absentee in the matches since.
Granit Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny have been the pairing of choice in recent weeks and have performed admirably, but Partey's presence has undoubtedly been missed. The Gunners sit in fourth place with just three matches of the Premier League season left to play as they chase down an unlikely place in next season's Champions League.
Tottenham sit just two points behind them with a mammoth North London Derby clash on the horizon that could well decide who takes the spot in Europe's elite competition next term. Partey has been a regular in Arteta's side this season but recently broke the worrying news that he was unlikely to play again this season.
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"He's progressing but he had a significant injury, a recurring injury as well, so we don’t expect him to make progress that quickly to see him this season, but hopefully I am wrong," Arteta said at a press conference last Friday.
However, the player himself may have dropped a hint that this may not exactly be the case. Taking to Twitter on Monday afternoon, the 28-year-old replied to a clip of Gabriel Magalhaes' goal against West Ham shared by the club's official account.
The caption of the clip read "Gabi X Gabi", referencing the fact the assist was provided by Gabriel Martinelli. In his reply, Partey wrote: "Tom X Tom soon," presumably in reference to teammate Takehiro Tomiyasu. While 'soon' is of course open to interpretation, many supporters in the replies took it as a hint that he could return for the showdown with Tottenham next Thursday.
