Arsenal central midfielder injured his right thigh in the 2nd half of Arsenal’s loss at Selhurst Park vs Crystal Palace. Partey immediately recognized the issue, grabbing at the quadriceps area, stopped playing, and walked off gingerly.
In the days following, Partey’s thigh was assessed and a scan showed muscle damage, with the team releasing a medical statement that he will continue to be assessed “in the coming weeks”.
Although information has been sparse, the one thing we know for certain – directly from manager Mikel Arteta’s mouth – is that the injury is in the same spot as the grade 2 tear that occurred vs Tottenham last season.
Enjoying the post? Sign-up for instant inbox access
Just enter your email below to get the latest blog updates delivered straight to your inbox. Every post is researched and written by Dr. Rajpal Brar, DPT.
By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: . You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
Additionally, Arteta has said that Partey’s injury is significant is “significant” and it’s unknown if he’ll be able to play prior to the season. That being said, Arteta’s approach to discussing injuries has become increasingly nebulous with the club’s medical statements also reflecting that as there’s been less emphasis on giving timelines (and with muscular injuries, it’s often quite difficult to do so and only places undue pressure on player, medical staff, and coaching staff). We may know more after Partey meets with a specialist in the coming days.
There is reporting from the reliable James Benge that Partety isn’t expected to miss the season. If that’s the case, then the injury is likely a grade 2 injury which typically comes with a 4-6 week return to play timeline. Considering this is a reinjury, timeline may lean closer to the 6 than the 4.
If that timeline holds true, there’s a distinct possibility he could be back for the North London Derby on May 12th (5.5 weeks from the injury date) but will likely miss a key run of tougher games this month.
The onus now falls on Albert Sambi Lokonga as cover and Mikel Arteta to figure out how to navigate Arsenal’s top four path until Partey returns. I’ll keep you updated as we learn more.
If you want to work with us, then please fill out the contact form below. If you appreciate the work and want to support, head over to our Patreon. Thank you for reading and thank you for your time.
Dr. Rajpal Brar, DPT, (@3cbperformance) is a physiotherapist, movement expert, strength and conditioning/fitness coach, sports scientist and mindfulness coach. He runs the LA and online based physiotherapy and athletic performance clinic 3CB Performance and you can subscribe to his Youtube channel (which posts a variety of sports injury, performance, and fitness related content).