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As Britain rolls back its Covid-19 restrictions, it's Arsenal who could really do with a lively post-lockdown Partey.

Languishing mid-table in the Premier League with top six aspirations dashed, the Gunners turn to the UEFA Europa League to salvage another season of directionless drift.

And as they try and avoid another Greek tragedy against Olympiacos, all eyes will be on whether Thomas Partey can offer Mikel Arteta's team a bit of much-needed thrust.

Thomas Partey has been beset with fitness and injury issues since his £45m move to Arsenal

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There was plenty of fanfare when Arsenal triggered the Ghanaian midfielder's £45million release clause to bring him from Atletico Madrid on deadline day last October.

But Partey's impact has been underwhelming to say the least. Beset by injury problems that drew criticism from Rio Ferdinand this week, the 27-year-old has missed as many games as he's been available for.

And it appears that being available doesn't necessarily equate to being fully fit. Speaking ahead of Arsenal's last-16, first leg in Athens on Thursday night, Partey claimed that he's only felt at 100 per cent in two matches this season.

'I think against [Manchester] United at their home and against Wolves [away] also I was able to show what I can do,' he said.

It hasn't been a great return from a £45m footballer of clear quality and ability whose arrival prompted wide-eyed suggestions that Arsenal could challenge for silverware in a chaotic season.

Rio Ferdinand took aim at Partey's fitness record with the midfielder absent for as many matches as he has been available this season

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Not quite. They've lost as many Premier League games as they've won, are out of both domestic cups, can barely put together one coherent half let alone 90 minutes and remain prone to unforgivable mistakes such as Granit Xhaka's suicidal pass at Burnley last weekend.

But Europe could yet prove their salvation and with Partey fully fit again, disappointment could yet turn into delight for the fourth most expensive signing in the club's history.

Of course, it's typical they had to be paired again with Olympiacos - the side that dumped them out on away goals last season - but lightning is unlikely to strike twice.

And while there remains a competitive field in the Europa League, there's no reason why Arsenal can't go all the way if the draw is kind and they find that elusive momentum.

First seasons are a free hit for any new signing, regardless of the price tag. Partey had long been linked with Arsenal but he'd already played three LaLiga games for Atletico before the eleventh-hour move to London.

'It was a difficult moment to get used to how the team play,' Partey admitted on Wednesday and it's little wonder given there's been barely any time on the training ground amid a fixture list of unprecedented intensity.

Partey had played just a handful of games before suffering a muscle injury, returned briefly before succumbing to a hip problem and was just finding some rhythm when his hamstring went last month.

© Provided by Daily MailPartey's key stats during the matches in which he has featured for Arsenal during his first season with the club. Courtesy of Sofascore

© Provided by Daily MailPartey gets the better of Paul Pogba during Arsenal's 1-0 win at Old Trafford in November

So it's been doubly difficult and that's before you get into the crisis of identity and confidence that Arteta's Arsenal just can't shake off this season.

But what is clear from the limited sample size of 16 appearances and 11 starts is that Partey does offer Arsenal greater drive and impetus from a central midfield role than Xhaka, Mohamed Elneny or Dani Ceballos.

Partey is more willing to dribble the ball forwards, more likely to find a team-mate after doing so and happier to play a forward pass rather than a sideways one. His passing accuracy is a good 88 per cent.

When you watch Arsenal with Partey in the team, they visibly have more forward momentum than if others were performing the same role. He typically receives the ball further up the field and moves it on.

One common accusation levelled at this Arsenal team is that they're stagnant but Partey is part of the solution not the problem.

He started at Burnley on Saturday and should be involved against Olympiacos as well. If he stays fit - and Arteta will be praying he does - there remains plenty of football this season in which to impress.

© Provided by Daily MailArsenal will be praying that Partey stays fit for the remainder of the season after injury issues

The 1-0 at Old Trafford referenced by Partey was one of Arsenal's most eye-catching results of the season, alongside the Boxing Day win over Chelsea and the recent 3-1 success at Leicester.

The other one mentioned, against Wolves, saw them produce an excellent first half but then implode when David Luiz was sent off, going on to lose 2-1.

But they remain merely tantalising glimpses of what this Arsenal team can do. The majority of the time, Arteta's side fall well short of such heights.

It explains why they're 10th at the moment, some 10 points shy of a guaranteed Europa League spot and 12 off the top four. They're equidistant between fourth and the relegation zone in terms of points, the definition of middling.

The focus should all be on trying to return to Champions League football by winning Europe's secondary competition though it seems unlikely Arteta will rest key players in the derby with Tottenham on Sunday in order to ensure safe passage against Olympiacos.

Their £45m man has pledged to show his best from here on in. How a sluggish Arsenal could do with Partey being the life and soul of their team.