Mikel Arteta admitted Thomas Partey has been struggling for rhythm in recent weeks as he gave an honest update on the Arsenal midfielder's condition.
Partey has suffered two hamstring strains and a hip injury since joining the Gunners from Atletico Madrid on deadline day in October and has featured in less than half of their Premier League games this season.
In alarming update on his own fitness earlier this week, the Ghanaian claimed he has only been 100 per cent ready for two games this season.
Arteta echoed those comments as he discussed Partey ahead of Arsenal's derby clash with Tottenham on Sunday afternoon.
“Rhythm-wise he has struggled a little bit in the last few weeks because he has not had enough training sessions or enough preparation because the league is so demanding,” said the Gunners boss of Partey.
“But you can see his quality, you can see the presence and the special qualities he provides to the team when he is on the pitch.
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“I think it is just a fact of playing more games, getting some chemistry and understanding with his team-mates and getting as fit as he possibly can.”
Partey will hope to fare better in his second north London derby after he suffered a hip injury and was substituted at half-time during the 2-0 defeat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in early December.
The former Atletico star is confident his injuries are merely part of his "adaptation" to the Premier League and he is confident of making a big impact in the business end of the season.
He added: Now I feel good, I’m doing all the necessary work to be more fit and play more games.
"I still have more time, I’m doing my best to get my level of competition and I think everything will be fine and I will be able to show what I can do."
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