Alan Shearer has stated that Thomas Partey was ‘really impressive’ during Arsenal’s 2-0 defeat to Liverpool on Wednesday night, as he told Premier League Productions.
Eight minutes in the second half changed the game for Liverpool because both Diogo Jota and Roberto Firmino dented Arsenal’s top-four hopes by getting on the scoresheet.
Before then, Mikel Arteta’s players were matching the Premier League title-chasing outfit stride for stride.
Whilst the Gunners lacked that cutting edge in the final third, they were showcasing their worth, including Partey, in the middle of the park.
Shearer spoke about the Ghanian midfielder, before Liverpool went on to secure all three points at the Emirates.
“Thomas Partey has been really impressive in front of that back four,” said Shearer. “He would stop everything before it would get into the forwards.
“But I would expect something to change.”
After 74 minutes, Bukayo Saka made way for Nicolas Pepe, before Alexandre Lacazette followed suit eight minutes later.
Whilst Arsenal were still pushing to get something from the game, the Lacazette substitution was perhaps a hint from Arteta that he was thinking about Sunday.
The north London club travel to the West Midlands to take on Aston Villa during the early kick-off on Saturday.
That’s a huge game because, for the first time in a while, this Arsenal squad will be tested from a fitness perspective and they also need to pick themselves up from tonight’s defeat.
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