Arsenal fans have hailed Thomas Partey as the new Michael Essien after the Ghanaian midfielder put in a dominant display in the Community Shield victory over Manchester City on Sunday.

Partey was instrumental in Arsenal's 4-1 win on penalties after the game ended 1-1 in regulation time at Wembley. He bossed the midfield with his physicality, passing, and tackling, and also provided the assist for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's opening goal.

The 29-year-old, who joined Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in 2020 for a club-record fee of £45 million, has been compared to Chelsea and Ghana legend Essien, who is widely regarded as one of the best African midfielders of all time.

Essien, who won two Premier League titles, four FA Cups, one League Cup, and one Champions League with Chelsea, was known for his versatility, energy, and long-range goals. He also played for Lyon, Real Madrid, AC Milan, and other notable clubs in his illustrious career.

Some Arsenal fans took to social media to claim that Partey is even better than Essien, citing his football intelligence and technical ability. One fan tweeted: "Thomas Partey's football intelligence put him ahead of Micheal Essien."

However, some Chelsea fans and a section of Ghanaians disagreed with the comparison, arguing that Essien achieved more in his career and was a more complete player. One fan wrote: "Essien was a beast in his prime. Partey is good but not on his level."

The debate has generated a lot of interest among football lovers, especially those from Ghana, where both players are national heroes. Partey has represented Ghana at three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and two World Cups, while Essien has played in four Africa Cup of Nations tournaments and one World Cup.

Both players have also won individual awards, such as the BBC African Footballer of the Year for Essien in 2006 and the Ghana Player of the Year for Partey in 2018 and 2019.