Former Premier League midfielder Jamie O’Hara has said that Declan Rice needed his Arsenal teammate Thomas Partey next to him against PSG.
In the first leg of their Champions League semi-final, Arsenal lost 1-0 at the Emirates with a goal by Ousmane Dembele the difference between the two sides heading into the second leg.
They will make the trip to Paris next week to try and come back against the French side, and land a spot in the Champions League final for just the second time in the club’s history.
Thomas Partey was suspended for the game after he picked up a yellow card in the quarter-finals against Real Madrid. It meant that Declan Rice didn’t have his regular midfield partner next to him.
Former Premier League midfielder O’Hara believes that it had a huge impact on Rice’s performance. He told Grosvenor Sport: “I think last night showed that Declan Rice needs Thomas Partey next to him.
“In the same way Paul Scholes needed Michael Carrick and Steven Gerrard needed Xabi Alonso – some players just need that partnership with someone that knows their game to put them at ease, and Rice didn’t have that last night.
“PSG are a top side and their midfielders are absolutely fantastic. I don’t think Rice had a poor game and in the second half he began to influence things a bit more, so I’m not going to sit here and criticise him because he’s still a world class midfielder. But he was missing Thomas Partey next to him, and that was a big loss for Arsenal because PSG were much better than them in the first 15 mins of the game.”
Will Thomas Partey stay at Arsenal?
Partey’s contract with the Gunners is due to expire in June, meaning that he is expected to become a free agent, and leave the Emirates after a spell of four years at the club.
However, the Gunners are reportedly in talks with the 31-year-old over a new contract, however, recent reports have said that Barcelona wants to sign the Ghanaian, which could make it more difficult for Arsenal to keep hold of him.
Partey has been an important player for Mikel Arteta‘s side this season, making 47 appearances in all competitions, scoring four goals and providing three assists.
