Two key Arsenal stars step up injury return in behind-closed-doors friendly this week

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Takehiro Tomiyasu and Thomas Partey both recently returned from long-term injury layoffs, but both are now stepping up their recovery programmes.

Partey has featured off the bench after missing nearly six months of action with injury, but looked rusty against Sheffield United in his first game back.

Tomiyasu has returned to full training, but is yet to return to first-team action, and with a tough run-in ahead, Mikel Arteta would ideally like it if he had a fully fit squad to choose from.

With a long break until Arsenal face Manchester City at the end of the month, and several players away with their National Teams, Arteta has decided to use the time to his advantage, with a behind-closed-doors friendly against Queens Park Rangers.

Arsenal face QPR in behind-closed-doors friendly

Arseblog have now confirmed that Tomiyasu and Partey featured as an Arsenal XI lost 4-0 to QPR in a friendly.

The pair were the only senior players involved, in what was otherwise a youthful lineup, and the main objective was to gain match fitness during the break.

Partey featured for 60 minutes, whilst Tomiyasu played 45, as both players step up their recoveries with time on the pitch in full-speed match action.

Although the result is not a positive one, these were two huge steps for the two previously injured stars as they aim to get up to speed for the run-in.

Thomas Partey and Takehiro Tomiyasu need match practice

As things stand, despite their initial recoveries, Tomiyasu and Partey are both well off the required level to be able to start in the Premier League or Champions League just yet.

Both will need several substitute appearances to get back up to speed, and this friendly would have been particularly useful.

Match action may be hard to come by given that they may not be ready to start yet, and with the margins so tight in the title race, there is no room for error anywhere.

The pair will have to hope that more Arsenal games follow the same pattern as seen in recent months, with the results secured early with quickfire goals, which would allow them to come on in the second half with less pressure on them.

Once they are ready to feature in high-pressure situations, both players could play important parts in the title race and the Champions League quarter-finals.