Mikel Arteta admits Thomas Partey could miss rest of season

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has admitted that Thomas Partey could be out for the remainder of the season with a thigh injury.

The Ghana international sustained the issue in Monday's 3-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, and the muscular damage has been described as "significant".

Arsenal's latest medical update affirmed that Partey would be assessed "in the coming weeks", but Arteta is not sure if the 28-year-old will be back for the Gunners' final eight games of the season.

"He could be [back before the season ends] but it could not be the case," Arteta told reporters ahead of Saturday's meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion.

"He has a significant injury, he will be out for some weeks. It's an area he had a previous injury and he felt it straight away."

Partey is joined on the treatment table by Kieran Tierney and Takehiro Tomiyasu, the former of whom has now undergone successful surgery on his knee injury.

Arsenal failed to leapfrog Tottenham Hotspur back into fourth place in the Premier League table last time out but only sit behind their North London rivals on goal difference having played a game fewer.