Arsenal provide Thomas Partey and Kieran Tierney injury updates ahead of Leeds Utd clash 

Arsenal will be without influential duo Kieran Tierney and Thomas Partey for Sunday’s Premier League match against Leeds United. Summer signing Partey hobbled off during last weekend’s defeat against Aston Villa, while Scotland international left-back Tierney is yet to recover from a muscle strain in his right leg. Partey had broken down on two separate occasions already this season but made his latest return in mid-January and featured in seven successive matches before appearing to suffer a recurrence of a thigh strain against Villa. Tierney, meanwhile, arguably Arsenal’s player of the season, has missed the last five matches in all competitions but the club are hopeful he will return to first team training next week. ‘Thomas sustained a strain to his left hamstring during last Saturday’s match at Aston Villa and will miss the match against Leeds United on Sunday,’ read a statement on Arsenal’s website.

Partey was forced off with injury against Villa

‘Thomas will continue to be assessed and rehabilitate from this injury. ‘Kieran is recovering well from a strain to the right lower leg and is aiming to integrate back into training next week.’ Both players had played key roles in helping lift some of the gloom that had engulfed the club earlier this season.

The Gunners enjoyed an upturn in fortunes over the Christmas and New Year period, but have now lost back-to-back games in the Premier League and have won just once of their last five matches in all competitions. Indeed, Leeds will arrive at the Emirates above Arsenal in the table, despite having played one game less than their opponents. Marcelo Bielsa’s side utterly dominated the reverse fixture earlier this season but were held to a goalless draw in a game that was best remembered for Nicolas Pepe’s sending-off following an altercation with Ezgjan Alioski.