Arsenal’s hopes of closing the gap at the top of the Premier League were dashed on Saturday night as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Aston Villa, with Ghanaian international Thomas Partey receiving heavy criticism for his role in the equalizing goal.

Deployed as a makeshift right-back by manager Mikel Arteta, Partey struggled to adapt to the unfamiliar role. Despite a strong start by the Gunners, with goals from Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz putting them 2-0 ahead, Aston Villa staged a spirited comeback.

Youri Tielemans reduced the deficit with a well-taken effort, but it was Ollie Watkins’ late equalizer that stole the headlines. Watkins capitalized on a defensive lapse by Partey, who failed to deal with a crucial ball, allowing the striker to volley past David Raya from close range.

Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Tim Sherwood weighed in on the incident, placing blame on Partey for the costly mistake. Speaking on Premier League Productions, Sherwood remarked, “Thomas Partey is not a right-back, and he cost Arsenal for the second goal. That is not his position, so you cannot entirely blame him, but he cost them the win.”

The draw leaves Arsenal six points behind league leaders Liverpool, who extended their lead with a 2-0 win over Brentford and still have a game in hand.

Arsenal will now turn their focus to the Champions League, where they host Dinamo Zagreb, before traveling to face Wolves in their next Premier League encounter.