Arsenal may have lost to Manchester City on Saturday but there was a lot to admire about their performance and one of the players who truly put his stamp on the game was midfielder Thomas Partey.
The Gunners have not had the best of luck against City but this match was different as they were on the money from kick-off. They had a plan and executed it to perfection until the end of the first half.
With the hosts going into halftime with a lead thanks to Bukayo Saka, it looked like they could get their first win against the visitors in some time. But things went in a different direction in the second half and Rodri produced an injury time winner to break the hosts hearts.
There were a lot of positives to be taken and one of them was the performance of the Ghana midfielder. And if some of the refereeing decisions had been done right, the result would have been different.
Fans were amazed by how well Partey played in what is going to be the player’s last match before he heads off to the AFCON. They were quick to show their appreciation on Twitter and here are some of the best reactions:
Absolute machine
— george (@minm1nszn) January 1, 2022
Man of the match. His best game for Arsenal. Unfortunately he didn’t reap the rewards. Better don’t rob him today. Man of the match. Bossed the City midfield and remained unflustered even after we went a man down.
— Chuky Unadulterated (@ChukyUnfazed) January 1, 2022
his best performance in an Arsenal shirt so far 🙌
— Kieron (@KieronSFF) January 1, 2022
Effortless..He was a real gem.. Showing us wat we will miss..When he leaves for AFCON…I pray he comes back injury free..
— WHITE & GABRIEL (@joshiano3) January 1, 2022
His best game in an Arsenal shirt yet. I can’t wait to see more from him. 🔴⚪
— Jahan Miah (@JahanM_AFC) January 1, 2022
Brilliant, he showed why he’s world class.
— MatteoNelli (@WiloDouzinhoo) January 1, 2022
Arsenal Fever View:
The north Londoners can feel proud of how they took the fight to the reigning champions. Led by the central midfielder, they were able to press well and prevented City from getting their attacking patterns going.
This in itself would have been a huge encouragement for Mikel Arteta but losing Partey for an extended period of time is not ideal. The club would have to find a solution to deal with the midfielder’s absence.
With the Ghanaian leaving for national duty, it gives some of the other players a chance to show what they are made of. The likes of Ainsley Maitland Niles and Albert Sambi Lokonga would be keen on making use of this opportunity.
Arsenal have done really well to build some momentum this season and as a result of that, they are in the fight for the fourth spot. With a great performance against City behind them, they can look forward to the rest of the matches with a lot more confidence.
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