Mikel Arteta must keep faith in one Arsenal star against Everton on Sunday despite his poor showing against Manchester United.
Arsenal were far from their best as they battled to a 1-0 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford last time out.
Whilst William Saliba produced an imperious performance in the heart of the Gunners’ defence, the team in general were below par.
The North London outfit struggled to take control of the match in the middle of the park. Martin Odegaard was not as influential as usual, Declan Rice failed to impose himself, and Thomas Partey looked vulnerable.
Thomas Partey struggled for Arsenal v Manchester United
Arsenal fans were far from impressed by what they saw from Partey. The 30-year-old lost possession in dangerous territory on a number of occasions, was overly conservative in his passing, and lost out in duels all too often.
The Ghanaian has been a bit-part figure this season due to his recurrent injury issues, which have been a problem for a number of seasons now. This outing at Old Trafford marked just his 13th Premier League appearance of the season, of which just 8 have come as starts.
Partey was described as looking like an Arsenal “relic” in this game, as he failed to help the Gunners to maintain control of the match in the manner which has become the hallmark of their play this season.
However, despite his poor showing against the Red Devils, Mikel Arteta ought to keep the midfielder in his starting XI when his side welcome Everton to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.
This clash with the Toffees is a must-win match for the Gunners. Whilst they are also relying on Manchester City to drop points against West Ham United, Arsenal must themselves beat Everton to stand any chance of being crowned champions.
Why Thomas Partey must start for Arsenal against Everton
Arteta has hit upon a winning formula with Partey in the team. The former Ateltico Madrid man has started the last four Premier League games and Arsenal have won all four, beating Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, and Bournemouth, before their triumph at Old Trafford.
Whilst Partey struggled last time out, now is not the time for Arteta to consider unenforced change.
What’s more, at his best, the midfielder is still an elite player. He was impressive against Chelsea, Spurs, and Bournemouth, and should be given the chance to bounce back from his showing against Manchester United.
Partey may not be a part of Arsenal’s long-term plans, but he is the man for this moment, and given the scale of the prize on the line, this moment is the only one that can be allowed to matter.