"Same area as a previous thigh injury" - Medical expert predicts the return date for 28-year-old Arsenal star

Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey could return for the crucial north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on May 12, according to a medical expert.

The 28-year-old picked up a thigh strain during the Gunners' 3-0 defeat at Crystal Palace on April 4.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta told a press conference (per Football.London) that Partey would be "out for some weeks."

Partey's thigh injury is similar to the one he suffered last season against Spurs, which kept him out for a number of weeks.

Arteta told the conference:

"It is a little bit ambiguous but he has a significant injury. We have to keep assessing him but he’ll be out for some weeks."

However, sports injury expert Ben Dinnery, who runs the Premier Injuries website, predicts that Partey could return sooner than people think based on his previous setback.

Dinnery told Football Insider:

"I understand that it’s around the same area as a previous thigh injury from 2020. He picked that one up in the North London derby and it lasted around that five-week period."

"If we’re looking to base it on that in terms of severity, he could return in a similar timeframe. Funnily enough, that would coincide with the North London derby again."

He added:

"He is meeting with a specialist to help identify whether there is an underlying issue that would explain why this has come up again. He is so important to that Arsenal team. It’s night and day in terms of points per game when he is and isn’t in the team."

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Arsenal desperate for Thomas Partey return ahead of Premier League run-in

Thomas Partey has been a key member of Mikel Arteta's team this season. He has made 26 appearances for Arsenal across all competitions, scoring twice.

Partey is a solid, dependable option to sit in front of the back four. However, he has now joined first-team regulars Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu on the Gunners' injury list.

Due to Partey's injury, Albert Sambi Lokonga started for the first time since January during the Gunners' lopsided home defeat to Brighton.

It has been a dreadful couple of weeks for Arsenal, who have lost consecutive league matches to mid-table sides.

Arteta's side, who were hot favorites to finish in the top four, now find themselves in fifth place, three points behind Tottenham Hotspur with an inferior goal difference. They do, however, have a game in hand over their rivals.