‘By himself’: Arteta claims Arsenal player was left all on his own on the pitch last night

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has told Football London that Thomas Partey held midfield on his own at times last night.

Arsenal won 2-1 in Austria against Rapid Wien, with Partey catching the eye on his full debut.

The new recruit looked so composed on the ball, and also earned praise for his defensive work.

Arsenal actually went behind in the contest, which meant they really had to chase the game.

And Arteta says that he was so confident in Partey’s ability, that he effectively left him alone in midfield, as his teammates pushed for an equaliser.

“He looked really solid, really comfortable,” Arteta said. “He held midfield by himself in the second half when we were a little bit more open and starting to take more chances attacking certain places with some players.

“He was fantastic tonight and there’s much more to come from him.”

The decision for Arsenal to become more attacking certainly paid off, as goals from David Luiz and Pierre Emerick Aubameyang turned the game around.

Partey now already has surely made himself a key part of Arteta’s future starting plans, with Arsenal taking on Leicester City next in the Premier League.