Ghana international Thomas Partey ended a 539-day goal drought by scoring in Arsenal’s 2-0 victory over Aston Villa in their 2024/25 English Premier League (EPL) match-day 2 clash at Villa Park on Saturday.
The midfielder’s last goal was on March 4, 2023, against AFC Bournemouth in a dramatic 3-2 comeback for the Gunners. He paid an emotional tribute to his compatriot Christian Atsu, who had tragically lost his life in a devastating earthquake in Turkey just weeks prior. Partey took off his shirt after scoring to display a message in honor of Atsu, a gesture that resonated deeply with Ghanaian fans.
In today’s match, Arsenal opened the scoring through Leandro Trossard, who made an immediate impact after coming off the bench in the 58th minute. Trossard latched onto a cross from Bukayo Saka, finishing clinically to give Arsenal the lead.
Partey doubled Arsenal’s advantage in the 78th minute, scoring his first goal since March 2023. The goal came after a well-worked corner routine that saw the ball fall to him just outside the box, where he calmly slotted it past Villa’s goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
Partey’s goal was met with significant celebration, as it marked the end of a long goal drought that spanned 539 days.
This victory keeps Arsenal’s perfect start to the Premier League season intact, highlighting their strong title aspirations.
Aston Villa, despite their best efforts, failed to find a breakthrough, with Arsenal’s defense holding firm and goalkeeper David Raya making key saves.
Partey’s resurgence comes at a critical time as Arsenal prepares for tougher challenges ahead this season.
His goal-scoring form will also be a boost for Ghana as they gear up for international break of the new season. The Black Stars are set to face Angola and Niger in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers on September 5 and 9 respectively.
Arsenal’s solid performance underlines their intent to be serious contenders in the Premier League this season, with Partey’s goal serving as a reminder of his value to the team.