Former Manchester United player and football analyst, Gary Neville, has criticized Ghanaian midfielder Thomas Partey for his performance in Arsenal’s 2-2 draw with Aston Villa in the Premier League on January 18, 2024.
Neville questioned why Partey failed to mark Ollie Watkins properly, which led to Watkins scoring a crucial goal.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville described Partey’s mistake as “unforgivable” and said it cost Arsenal the chance to stay ahead in the match.
However, he praised Watkins for capitalizing on the defensive error to secure a point for Aston Villa.
“You can see Partey marking Watkins, and then it’s unforgivable, really, that he just steps back out and doesn’t go with him. He deserved his goal,” Neville said while speaking on Sky Sports.
Despite Arsenal’s dominance in the game, they failed to retain their 2-0 lead after Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz put them ahead.
Youri Tielemans and Ollie Watkins scored two goals, resulting in a 2-2 draw.
Arsenal’s title hope now hang in the balance as they trail league leaders Liverpool by six points.