Ghana star Thomas Partey made a return to action on Monday night, marking his comeback after more than four months sidelined with injury in Arsenal’s resounding victory over Sheffield United.
The midfielder, absent since October 18 due to a string of injuries, played a pivotal role in the Gunners' 6-0 win, keeping them within touching distance of the Premier League summit.
Partey, whose season has been marred by recurrent hamstring and groin issues, made his fifth Premier League appearance of the campaign.
He entered the fray in the 65th minute, replacing Jorginho, and put in a solid performance at Bramall Lane.
The Ghanaian international had been sidelined since picking up a hamstring injury during the October international break, just when he was nearing full recovery. This setback forced him out of Arsenal’s last 23 matches.
But he was back on Monday night, with Arsenal's dominance evident as they cruised to their seventh consecutive Premier League victory, dismantling a struggling Sheffield United side.
The Gunners raced to a commanding 3-0 lead within the opening 13 minutes and further extended it to 5-0 by halftime against the league's bottom club.
Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Declan Rice, and Ben White all found the net, with Jayden Bogle's own goal adding to Sheffield United's woes.
The comprehensive win sees Mikel Arteta's side close the gap to just two points behind league leaders Liverpool.
With Arsenal firmly entrenched in the title race, Sheffield United find themselves languishing 11 points adrift from safety with only 11 games left in the season.