Inside Thomas Partey's injury recovery as Arsenal midfielder targets Premier League success

There's been plenty of focus on what might have been if Jurrien Timber had been fit for Arsenal this season. Ask Mikel Arteta though, and he'll tell you there's another player whose absence has been just as devastating.

«It was a huge blow as well losing Thomas,» the Spaniard said in January. «We had other plans as well with him, to become very versatile and unpredictable in our way of playing. We have not had them and that is difficult.»

In recent weeks, the Ghanaian has proved why his manager was so keen to have him back. Superb back-to-back performances against Chelsea and Tottenham have helped put Arsenal's title charge back on track. They're the culmination of over half a year's worth of work.

The process began in October. Having just returned from a six week layoff to play a key part in Gabriel Martinelli's winning goal against Manchester City, Arsenal were understandably keen to manage Partey's fitness carefully. Physio Simon Murphy was sent to monitor him while on Ghana duty, and after being rested for the 2-2 draw against Chelsea, it seemed Partey could be in line for his comeback against Sevilla.

Then in the morning training session before Arsenal were due to fly out to Spain, injury struck again. Partey was understandably devastated, but talk quickly turned to managing another comeback. The African Cup of Nations were not far away, and the 30-year-old was desperate to represent his country. A number of options were presented, but it was decided that surgery would be required to get to the root of the issue.

Across the next few months Partey set about working with a personal trainer to supplement the recuperation he was doing at Arsenal. Initially he was only in at London Colney around two times a week, before