Mikel Arteta thinks Thomas Partey made a good cameo appearance against Manchester City, admitting they’re easing him in right now.

Thomas Partey didn’t start against Manchester City over the weekend, but he did come off the bench to play the final 12 minutes.

It wasn’t hard to guess why. The Ghana international spent the break away with his country after signing for Arsenal, so he only joined up with Mikel Arteta for the final session or so before Saturday’s game.

The manager confirmed to reporters that his absence from the starting lineup was about that lack of integration with the squad.

“Yes, we will see how quickly we can make it with him,” Arteta said. “But I think we have to respect that (adjustment) process and that timing for him. He only trained (for) a day really, with us.

“It’s a lot of new information. It’s a completely different game model for him as well to understand, and we have to respect a little bit that. But I think that when he came on he looked good.”

It shouldn’t take too long to get Partey starting. He already has the match fitness from his games with Atletico and Ghana, it’s just a matter of preparing him for Arteta’s style of play. Once he has the basics down, he’ll have to learn the rest in-game anyway.

I’d hope for at least one start this week, either against Rapid Vienna or Leicester City. Perhaps even both, if he plays an hour to get settled in the first before playing the full 90 in the second.