"I would be surprised" - Journalist claims Arsenal superstar in unlikely to start in PL fixture against Chelsea

Journalist Charles Watts says he would be surprised to see Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey start in the starting XI against Chelsea on Saturday, October 21. The reporter insists that the Ghanaian midfielder still has a long way to go to return to full fitness.

Partey was sidelined due to a groin injury since the start of September. He returned to the bench in the Gunners' 2-1 defeat to Lens in the UEFA Champions League on October 4. He returned to action in their Premier League win over Manchester City prior to the international break.

Partey was taken off early in Ghana's international friendly against Mexico on Sunday, October 15. Watts has revealed that the substitution was pre-meditated. He reported that the Arsenal midfielder is being used sparingly as he is still recovering from the aforementioned injury.

The reporter said on his YouTube channel (as quoted by HITC):

“My understanding of Thomas Partey’s early withdrawal from Ghana’s game against Mexico at half-time was that it was a pre-determined thing They were just trying to manage his minutes after being so long out with injury and Chris Hughton has now confirmed that speaking to the press following the game."

He added:

“It’s still a long journey home for him. Wednesday night in America. Arsenal are playing on Saturday. I would be surprised if Partey starts that game against Chelsea.”

Partey has registered just four Premier League appearances for Arsenal this season. It remains to be seen whether the Ghanaian midfielder will feature in his side's upcoming encounter against the Blues at Stamford Bridge.

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"I do believe" - Marcel Desailly makes prediction for Arsenal vs Chelsea

Former Blues star Marcel Desailly has backed the club to secure a victory in their clash against Arsenal. The Frenchman has predicted a 3-1 scoreline in favor of Mauricio Pochettino's men despite their poor form this season.

He told Gambling Zone (via Metro):

"It looks impossible, but I’ll go for a 3-1 win [to Chelsea]. Why not? This is the beauty of the Premier League. As soon as a team has a mental drop and isn’t ready for the intensity of a match, they can lose. When Arsenal players arrive at Chelsea, they may believe that it won’t be as difficult as it would at Tottenham, City, or eventually, Man United."

Desailly added:

"I do believe Chelsea can win, even if it’s Arsenal. I’m not taking away from Arsenal’s level, but Chelsea can win and build up from there."

The west London outfit are currently 11th in the Premier League table after a dismal start to the 2023-24 campaign under Pochettino. The Blues have won just three league encounters out of eight this term and are struggling to find points this season.

Meanwhile, Arsenal have had a great start to the campaign, remaining unbeaten in the league. Mikel Arteta's side have carried over their form from last season, second in the standings and level on points with league leaders Tottenham Hotspur.