Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney could be handed the perfect chance to impress when his side faces off against London rivals Chelsea at the weekend. The Scotsman may be involved from the start against the Blues, with Takehiro Tomiyasu a doubt after picking up a knock against FC Zurich on Thursday night and with Oleksandr Zinchenko still regaining fitness.
The left-back has had few opportunities to lay claim to the position this campaign, rarely starting in the Premier League while earning minutes in the Europa League. That could partially be put down to learning a new role, with Mikel Arteta opting for his full-backs to drop into midfield rather than overlapping on the flanks.
“I want to play every single chance I can get,” Tierney told BT Sport on Thursday after netting the winner over FC Zurich in the Europa League. “But I’m going to keep working hard. The manager knows I’ll give 100 per cent every single day, whether I’m starting or not – I’ll support the team from the bench. If I need to come on, or if I start, I’ll give everything.”
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It marks a sharp change from the 25-year-old's status last season, where he was a guaranteed starter and parts of the campaign depended on his place. Injuries ravaged him and Arteta was left mixing and matching his options on the left towards the end.
It led to Jamie Carragher claiming that the Spaniard had no choice but to strengthen in that area, telling Sky Sports: "Arsenal needed to strengthen at left-back because Tierney’s injuries now are becoming a problem for him and for the team,"
However, the tables have very much turned as other injuries have paved the way for the Scotsman to be the one to rely upon for the final few games before the World Cup break. Should he wish to be a more permanent fixture of Arteta's plans for the future, it could be an important few games to prove himself.
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