Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney responded to the brutal news that he has been ruled out for the rest of the campaign with a short message on his Instagram story. The Scottish left-back was ruled out of Monday’s defeat with Palace due to a knee injury and it has now been confirmed that he will undergo surgery.
A club statement read: "Assessments and scans have confirmed that Kieran has damaged his left knee.
"A specialist consultation took place on Tuesday, and as a result of further discussions with Kieran and our medical team, it has been decided that Kieran requires surgery to his knee. This procedure will take place in London in the forthcoming days.
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"Kieran’s rehabilitation programme will start immediately after his surgery, at which stage a clearer understanding will be established on his recovery timescale. However, it is likely that Kieran will now miss the remainder of this season."
Following the news, Arsenal sent a message of support to Tierney on their official Instagram account, with the defender responding in kind on his personal story.
He wrote: “Such is life. Thank you.”
The news is of course a huge blow to both the Gunners and Tierney amid a competitive push for a return to the Champions League for next term. The former Celtic man had previously made 22 appearances in the Premier League for Arsenal so far this term. In all of his time at the Emirates Stadium, the 24-year-old has never managed to make more than 30 appearances in the league in a single campaign.
He is now likely to be replaced by Portuguese defender Nuno Tavares in the starting line-up but there is some worry over his long-term suitability. The ex-Benfica man has suffered first-half substitutions by Mikel Arteta in each of his last two starts for the Gunners - those coming against Nottingham Forest and Crystal Palace.
