Mikel Arteta on Kieran Tierney
Image credit: Getty Images
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has confirmed that Kieran Tierney could make his long-awaited return to the team when the Gunners face Monaco in the Champions League on Wednesday night. The left-back has not featured for Arsenal since August 2023, when he played in the Community Shield against Manchester City.
Tierney’s potential inclusion comes amid a defensive injury crisis that has left Arsenal with only a handful of fit options. Six defenders could miss the Monaco clash, including Gabriel Magalhães, Jurrien Timber, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Riccardo Calafiori, Ben White, and Takehiro Tomiyasu. Additionally, Thomas Partey is a doubt after missing Tuesday’s training session.
“He is ready,” Arteta said about Kieran Tierney during his pre-match press conference. “He’s training really well, and he’s going to have an opportunity for sure. The way the team is looking at the moment, he’s earned it. The way he’s behaved, the way he’s been with us—when players are willing, you have to give them those opportunities.”
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The Gunners have been plagued by injuries this season, particularly in defense. Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu are confirmed absentees due to knee injuries, while Gabriel, Timber, Zinchenko, and Calafiori will undergo late fitness tests to determine their availability.
Kieran Tierney
Kieran Tierney (Image credit: Getty Images)
Arteta expressed frustration with the growing injury list, attributing it to a combination of factors. “We have a lot of joint injuries, which are very difficult to predict or assess. Some are through tackles that are hard to avoid, while others are likely due to overload from the number of minutes they’ve had to play,” he explained.
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The knock-on effect of these injuries has forced Arsenal to rely heavily on remaining fit players, increasing their workload. “Not having one or two players available means you have to put more stress and minutes on someone else,” Arteta added. “That’s not ideal because it leads to even more issues.”
Despite the challenges, Arteta remains optimistic about the opportunities this situation presents for other players. “We have to accept the challenge, and there are opportunities for others,” he said. “In an ideal scenario, we would be in charge of these decisions. Unfortunately, injuries are forcing us to make them for the wrong reasons. But we need to accept the reality and move forward.”
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