Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta expects Thomas Partey to be out for a "couple of weeks" after the Ghana midfielder picked up a groin injury in training.
The 30-year-old had taken on an unfamiliar right-back position at the start of the campaign and was expected to reprise his role during the visit of Manchester United on Sunday.
Partey was seen in Arsenal's final batch of training images, but rumours began circulating on social media that the former Atletico Madrid man was set for a spell on the sidelines.
Sure enough, the Ghanaian FA revealed that Partey had indeed suffered an injury during practice, having left him out of their squad for the September international break.
Ghana's team doctor stated that Partey had picked up a groin issue on Thursday which would require further assessment, although speculation raged that the midfielder would be out for months with a serious tear.
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The Ghana FA offered a more optimistic view on the matter, though, and Arteta is also hopeful that the 30-year-old will only need to take a couple of weeks out while he recovers.
"We need a few more tests but he felt something in training and I think he will be out for a couple of weeks," Arteta told the media ahead of the Gunners' clash with Man United.
"He had the capacity to play in various positions and today was a game for him to play in a different position but he is not available."
While Partey's form was key to Arsenal's unexpected title charge in the 2022-23 season, the midfielder has been plagued by several fitness problems since arriving in North London in 2020.
During his time at Atletico, Partey only missed seven games through injury, but he has already sat out a total of 45 matches for club and country following his move to the Emirates.
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Nevertheless, the Ghanaian has consistently demonstrated his importance to the team when fully fit, notching five goals and four assists in 103 appearances for the club across all tournaments.
Due to Partey's absence, Ben White reverted to right-back on Sunday, as Gabriel Magalhaes and Oleksandr Zinchenko returned to form a recognisable backline from the 2022-23 season.
Despite going a goal down to a deflected strike from Marcus Rashford - who has now scored in each of his last three Premier League appearances against the Gunners - Arteta's men hit back straight away through Martin Odegaard before having a penalty overturned.
Man United had seemingly snatched all three points through Alejandro Garnacho, but the Argentine's late effort was ruled out for offside, before Declan Rice and Gabriel Jesus sent the Emirates into ecstasy with a pair of injury-time goals to seal a 3-1 win.
Thanks to their unbeaten start to the campaign, Arsenal enter the international break sitting fifth in the table, and they return to action away to Everton on September 17.
Ben Knapton
