Arsenal get welcome injury boost ahead of Lees United clash

Soccer Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v Arsenal - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - February 6, 2021 Arsenal's Thomas Partey receives medical attention after sustaining an injury [Pool via REUTERS/Catherine Ivill]

Arsenal are confident that Thomas Partey's latest injury problem is not a serious one and he should be fit to face Leeds United at the weekend.

The Ghanaian midfielder was forced off with a thigh injury in the second half of the 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa on Saturday, sparking fears that he was set for another spell on the sidelines.

The summer signing from Atletico Madrid has so far had a stop-start beginning to life in the Premier League, and has only recently returned to the fold after a hip injury kept him out of action for 10 matches.

Mikel Arteta said he wasn't too sure of the severity of the injury after the defeat at Villa Park, claiming: "I don't know, he had a muscular issue so we had to take him off.

"He could not carry on playing. We will see the extent of the injury. He wasn't feeling well enough to continue playing so we had to take him off."

Soccer Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v Arsenal - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - February 6, 2021 Arsenal's Bukayo Saka reacts after sustaining an injury [Pool via REUTERS/Shaun Botterill]

Football.london claim that Partey - who was replaced by Willian at Villa - is not facing an extended spell on the sidelines after the blow.

Arsenal have a rare free midweek this week following their fourth round elimination in the FA Cup, although it is likely that Partey would have been rested if the Gunners did face a last-16 fixture.

Instead it is thought that he will be fit enough to be restored to the starting lineup to face Leeds on Sunday, when the Gunners will bid to get their Premier League season back on track.

Marcelo Bielsa's side went above Arsenal and into the top half of the table with their 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Monday.