Kieran Tierney hasn't had a look-in at Arsenal this season since ending his injury nightmare.
But the Scotland international is the only current Gunners star who knows what it takes to lift a major honour under Mikel Arteta. Arsenal boss Arteta came out swinging yesterday as he defended his modest trophy record since taking over at the Emirates in 2019. The North London club are aiming to take a major step towards getting their hands on the first domestic prize of the campaign as they face Crystal Palace in tonight's Carabao Cup quarter-final clash.
And Arteta will hope hoping to end the barren trophy drought since winning the FA Cup in 2020 - even if the Spaniard raised eyebrows during yesterday's press conference by correcting one journalist who overlooked his two Community Shield triumphs.
Asked about winning just one trophy in his five years at the club, the Rangers Treble-winner responded: "The Charity Shield as well twice, no? So it’s three (trophies). We need more. We want more and we want the big ones as well. The pressure comes because we are at a big club. You want to do the best that you possibly can and that’s related to winning the major trophies and this is what we want to do."
Arteta's remarks didn't exactly go down well with some Arsenal fans, who have taken to social media in the last 24 hours to slam their manager for boasting about the non-major crown. And while Arteta may cling onto those curtain-raiser triumphs in 2020 and 23, the reality is the Arsenal gaffer will be judged on his success in Europe and the Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup.
So far, he has just one winners medal to his name and ex-Celtic star Tierney is the only survivor from the starting XI that day that is still at the club. Tierney started as a left-sided centre-back alongside Rob Holding and David Luiz as a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang double fired Arsenal to a 2-1 victory over Chelsea at Wembley.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez is now starring with Aston Villa after a stunning rise to stardom, winning the World Cup with Argentina. Out-of-favour Holding, 29, could be given a rare run out against his former club tonight when his current employers Palace visit the English capital, while veteran Brazilian stopper Luiz is now winding down his career in his homeland with Flamengo.
Spanish ace Hector Bellerin is on the books of La Liga outfit Real Betis and fellow full-back Ainsley Maitland-Niles is now plying his trade with Lyon alongside Alexandre Lacazette. Dani Ceballos is pulling the strings for Real Madrid after a two-year loan stint at Arsenal, while Granit Xhaka has taken his game to another level with German champions Bayer Leverkusen.
The Gunners cut their losses with record £72million signing Nicolas Pepe last year, and the Ivory Coast wideman joined Villarreal on a free transfer in the summer. Meanwhile former captain Aubameyang is earning one final pay day with Saudi Pro League outfit Al Qadsiah, leaving fringe player Tierney as the last man standing from that 2019-20 FA Cup-winning side - the last Arsenal team to win a prestigious trophy.
Arsenal XI: Martinez, Bellerin, Holding, Luiz, Tierney, Maitland-Niles, Ceballos, Xhaka, Pepe, Aubameyang, Lacazette.