Mikel Arteta’s bizarre Thomas Partey decision spotted in Arsenal injury timeframe hint

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When Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta named his starting lineup for the clash with West Ham on Saturday, there were some very notable absences.

Both Thomas Partey and Mikel Merino missed out with injuries, with the former suffering from a muscle issue, while the latter had a knee problem.

It came as a huge blow to Arteta, who had fewer midfield options at his disposal, especially for an intense run of games ahead.

However, the decision to drop Partey may be a slightly bizarre one after a new video emerged of the Arsenal team at the London Stadium.

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Thomas Partey spotted with Arsenal squad for West Ham game

While Partey is a fresh injury concern for Arsenal, there was a strange twist of events as the midfielder was actually spotted with the squad.

Images showed the Ghanaian international at the London Stadium, while a video from the club themselves showed him in the background.

It suggests that it was a rather late decision to drop Partey from the squad with his muscular issue, perhaps resting him for the games ahead.

The midfielder has been a regular feature in the side so far this season, with performances that have kept him starting most weeks.

Fitness issues have been a problem for Partey in the past, though he has been able to shake most of them off until this point.

His inclusion in the travelling squad but not the matchday team may well hint at the rough timeframe of his issue.

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Thomas Partey injury timeframe

With Partey making the trip to the London Stadium, it could hint at a rather late decision from Arteta to not include him in the squad.

That decision may hint that it’s a rather short-term problem for the Arsenal midfielder, who has been in the team in recent weeks.

Given the run of matches ahead, it may be one for precaution ahead, especially with Manchester United up next.

It remains to be seen exactly how long he could be out for, though Arteta is likely to give an update on his players impacted by injuries after the clash with West Ham.

For now though, it remains to be seen if Arsenal can keep compact without Partey and Merino in their ranks for the clash with the Hammers.