Mikel Arteta offers concerning update on Thomas Partey injury

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confessed that midfielder Thomas Partey was in ‘some discomfort’ as he was forced off in Friday’s FA Cup defeat to Manchester City.

The Ghana international has been a near-permanent fixture for Arsenal this season but managed just 45 minutes against City and limped off at half-time of what ended up as a 1-0 defeat for the Premier League leaders.

After the game, Arteta confessed he did not know the severity of Partey’s injury.

“He had some discomfort and it was getting worse and worse,” the boss told reporters. “He was uncomfortable to continue. [Saturday] or the day after he will have an MRI scan and see what he has.

“We have at the moment the injury of Mo [Elneny]. It is not possible to get him fit. [Albert] Sambi has come in and has done well.

“It is true Thomas is a big influence and a big personality and in the second half we didn’t have him.”

In the aftermath of the game, Arsenal’s focus turned elsewhere as Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo went public with his desire to leave the Seagulls before the end of the transfer window.

The Gunners failed with a £60m bid for Caicedo earlier in the day but are expected to test Brighton’s resolve with another bid for the Ecuador international, who is also of interest to Chelsea, after he was given time away from training.