Why Arsenal are missing Partey and Tierney

Mikel Arteta needs his big players to step up in the vital moments during one of the most important periods in Arsenal's recent history. The problem is that two of them are out for the season.

The Gunners are aiming to reach the Champions League for the first time in five years, in what would be a milestone moment for their progression and improvement under their young Spanish head coach.

But since Kieran Tierney picked up a serious knee injury at the start of the month, the Gunners have lost three games out of three. Thomas Partey picked up a thigh problem in the first of those games - a 3-0 defeat at Crystal Palace - in a further blow to the Gunners' top-four hopes.

The statistics show that Arsenal are a much more cohesive unit with both Tierney and Partey in their squad - and that their absence is detrimental to Arteta's game plan.

So what makes Partey and Tierney so crucial to Arsenal - and how does the Gunners manager get around this problem?

Many predicted that Arsenal's defensive game would take a hit with both Tierney and Partey on the treatment table - and that is what has transpired.

The data shows that the Gunners concede twice as many goals per game without the duo in their team which ultimately leads to a decrease in points picked up per game.

Arsenal simply have less control of the game without Partey in midfield, which is no surprise given he has attempted the most tackles (43), completed the most challenges (29) and won the most possession (153) compared to any other Arsenal player in the league this season.

In terms of losing control, Arsenal's non-penalty xG was far better than their opponents in every game between the moment Partey returned from the Africa Cup of Nations in January to the start of