Declan Rice can lead the charge now that it’s Partey time for the Gunners… as Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta insists his side will have a ‘very powerful midfield’ as they head into Sheffield United clash

They have the worst defense in the Premier League, and the long-awaited return of Thomas Partey could make Arsenal even worse.

The Gunners have the most clean sheets (10) and have conceded the fewest goals (23) in the division, having restarted since defeats to Fulham and West Ham at the end of December appeared to have sent their struggle for the title in free fall.

The usual formation of Gabriel Jesus or Eddie Nketiah leading the line, with Kai Havertz on the left of midfield and Declan Rice in a holding role, has been adapted of late. Rice, as seen in the crucial games against Liverpool and Newcastle last month, has a roaming role when given the protection of Jorginho playing behind him.

The Englishman made seven passes into the box against the Magpies, as many as he has made in a single game this season, and Arsenal won 4-1. Now, with Partey set to return from a thigh injury that has ruled him out since October, Rice should have the protection to make further inroads.

“Rice and Partey have only played together in the Community Shield in midfield,” manager Mikel Arteta said ahead of tonight’s trip to Sheffield United. ‘That tells you how much we’ve missed Thomas. The impact he can have over the next three months can be really big.

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‘I’ll have to see that chemistry on the field and those qualities; the things we need to do to make sure they (Rice and Partey) play to their strengths and make each other better. But I think it will be a very powerful midfield.”

Steel runs through Arteta’s team, who are behind Liverpool and Manchester City, chasing hard and defending as if their lives depended on it.

It has been instilled in the team that keeping a clean sheet is a collective responsibility.

“Eleven players take ownership and are responsible for everything that happens on that pitch,” Arteta said.

‘And then his attitude, his love, that love to defend. You have to love it. If you don’t do it, it’s because the manager is yelling and pushing you. When you put something in their system and they enjoy doing it and take pride in doing it, they celebrate the defensive actions while making an assist or a goal. Then you can take that to a different level.

“That is spreading throughout the team. That’s contagious. They all have to be connected because each space, the moment of it, the approach, the distances you have between the players, reading certain intentions and structures of the opponent, are many things, but now they know it. “We have to keep doing it.”

After a series of injuries, Arsenal are back to near full strength. It will ultimately be decided whether full-backs Oleksandr Zinchenko and Takehiro Tomiyasu are part of the team. Jurrien Timber is still out but has begun integrating him into first team training.

The Gunners may be on the rise now, but Sheffield United manager Chris Wilder remembers when some were calling for the Spaniard’s head, especially after they crashed out of the 2021 Europa League in the semi-finals against Villarreal, managed by his former boss Unai Emery.

“I have incredible respect for Mikel because he has been through difficult times at Arsenal and he has overcome them,” Wilder said.

‘Everyone at some point thought that a change would be made. But Mikel came through and won a trophy right from the start (the FA Cup in 2020), after eliminating us during lockdown. It’s really good to see the way Mikel is progressing, moving and building his team.”

Wilder’s side, entrenched at the bottom of the table, suffered crushing defeats to Brighton and Aston Villa last month and he added: “I don’t want us to be pushovers.” Sometimes we have been… but that won’t happen in the future, I assure you.’