Ghana boss responds to Thomas Partey injury fears

The Arsenal midfielder came off at half-time during Ghana’s friendly against the United States at the weekend.

Ghana manager Chris Hughton has allayed fears over Thomas Partey by asserting the midfielder has suffered no new injury setback.

Partey had recently returned to action for Arsenal after nursing a groin injury. The 30-year-old came on as a 15-minute substitute in the club’s last game against Manchester City, which ended in a 1-0 victory.

Arsenal, mindful of Partey’s injury history, took proactive measures over the international break. They sent physiotherapist Simon Murphy to Ghana to monitor the player’s progress. He then went on to play 45 minutes during the 2-0 friendly loss to Mexico on Sunday.

“Thomas was always only going to play 45 minutes,” Hughton explained during a press conference.

“He has been out injured for three to four weeks.”

Bukayo Saka, William Saliba, and Leandro Trossard all remained in London during the international break due to their respective injuries.

Saka, who hopes to be fit for the upcoming match against Chelsea, is crucial to Arsenal’s attacking prowess. On the defensive front, Saliba is expected to be available for the game against Mauricio Pochettino’s side.