By Betsefy
Ghana head coach Otto Addo has provided a positive injury update on Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey ahead of Saturday’s North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur.
After missing three Premier League games with a thigh injury, Partey returned to the Gunners starting lineup for the 3-0 win at Brentford earlier this month.
The 29-year-old then linked up with the Ghanaian national team ahead of two friendly fixtures against Brazil and Nicaragua.
However, Partey appeared to suffer another injury setback as he was left out of their opening game against Brazil last Friday due to discomfort in his knee.
Addo has since confirmed that the 40-cap international will return to Arsenal to undergo tests on his knee, but he believes the midfielder could make a swift recovery.
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Speaking to reporters ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Nicaragua, Addo said: “Hopefully Thomas will be healthy very, very soon.
“We didn’t want to take that risk in a friendly game to play him against Brazil, but surely playing a player like him against a squad like Brazil would have been helpful.”
Partey is expected back in London this week ahead of undergoing a scan to determine the severity of his knee injury, and the Ghanaian medical team are confident that the midfielder will recover quickly.
A speedy recovery could therefore see Partey involved in Arsenal’s Premier League showdown with North London rivals Spurs this weekend.
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Meanwhile, Arsenal trio Martin Odegaard, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Reiss Nelson could also be fit to feature in the North London derby.
Both Odegaard and Zinchenko have been suffering with minor calf injuries, with the latter missing Ukraine’s final three UEFA Nations League fixtures this month, while Nelson has been sidelined since August with a thigh problem.
However, a recent report claims that all three players could be in a position to return to the matchday squad for the visit of Spurs at the Emirates Stadium.
Elsewhere on the injury front, Kieran Tierney is doubtful for Saturday’s game after sustaining a head injury in Scotland’s win over the Republic of Ireland, while Takehiro Tomiyasu was absent from Japan’s friendly draw with Ecuador.
Mohamed Elneny remains sidelined with a hamstring injury, while Emile Smith Rowe (groin) and Cedric Soares (knock) are both doubtful and will be assessed ahead of kickoff this weekend.
