After missing a total of eight games across all competitions for club and country as a result of sustaining a groin injury last month, Thomas Partey is back. The Ghana international made his comeback in training at the beginning of the week and was subsequently named on the bench for the UEFA Champions League Group B clash with RC Lens.
There had been a plan in place that would have seen the midfielder get some minutes under his belt in France but with the Gunners trailing in the second half, the changes Arteta made were in search of an equaliser and therefore the 30-year-old remained an unused substitute.
Having said that, Partey will be involved in some capacity - whether he's named in the starting line-up remains to be seen - as Arsenal welcome the Treble winners to the Emirates Stadium in a heavyweight clash between two teams expected to contest this season's Premier League title race.
"He is ahead of schedule, that's for sure," Arteta told reporters in the pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon. "We wanted to have him in the squad if we needed to, the way the game panned out we had other necessities and didn't use him. He will be in the squad."
This marks the midfielder's first inclusion in a Premier League matchday squad since the 2-2 draw with Fulham at the end of August. His availability does pose somewhat of a selection dilemma for the Gunners manager as he can take up a role in the engine room or at right-back.With Partey confirmed to be in Arteta's plans, the same can't be said for other Gunners stars who were named on the bench in midweek against Lens as they will not be involved against City because Premier League rules permit Arteta to name a 20-man matchday squad for the game.
Thomas Partey returns to Arsenal training ahead of Lens clash as Bukayo Saka boost revealed
This is three fewer compared to European fixtures. Therefore on Tuesday night, the Arsenal bench also consisted of Aaron Ramsdale, Karl Hein, Ben White, Emile Smith Rowe, Eddie Nketiah, Jakub Kiwior, Cedric Soares, Jorginho, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson and Mohamed Elneny.
With a maximum of nine substitutes allowed this afternoon (Sunday), the differing rules stipulate three first-team stars will have to cheer on their teammates from home or behind the Emirates Stadium dugout provided no fresh injury concerns emerge between now and 3.30pm.
Assuming Karl Hein drops out as it's unusual for two goalkeepers to be named on the bench for a Premier League game, it will almost certainly be a case of him being joined by Cedric and Elneny for the remaining spot especially if Saka passes a fitness test and is declared available for selection.
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