Arsenal star Kieran Tierney has seen his Premier League minutes this season disintegrate following the arrival of Oleksandr Zinchenko. The summer signing from Manchester City has made a hugely significant impact on the Gunners with his winning mentality and ability to satisfy Mikel Arteta's tactical needs a large factor in their title push.
A calf injury to Zinchenko saw him miss a month of action towards the latter end of 2022, but his influence since returning has not gone unnoticed. Playing as an inverted full-back, Zinchenko has been able to get forward on numerous occasions this season but only recently has he started contributing in front of goal.
In the Gunners' 3-2 victory over Aston Villa, Zinchenko grabbed his first Premier League goal with a superbly driven effort from the edge of the box. The following week he provided a crucial moment in the clash with Everton, picking out Bukayo Saka to break the deadlock in a tight game at Emirates Stadium.
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"That’s why we brought him, because he brings something different to the team," Mikel Arteta revealed when asked about Zinchenko's impact. "His mentality and his quality to do certain things that allows us to be more unpredictable, to generate a lot of threat every time we’re in ball possession. He’s played those kinds of games against low blocks 200 times and that’s very helpful."
Zinchenko becoming an Arteta undroppable has significantly impacted the minutes of Tierney. The Scotland international has appeared for just 468 minutes in the league this season, with the majority of his game time coming in other competitions.
football.london asked Arteta whether that lack of game time added any pressure on the potential summer exit of Tierney but he dismissed that he was even thinking about it.
“I don’t know, I’m not thinking about it, I’m thinking about what’s best for the team and obviously and the players with the right to play minutes which they all deserve and we’re going to try to do that in the next couple of games.”
With the Europa League returning for Arsenal, Tierney could be handed his first start since the FA Cup defeat to Man City when the Gunners travel to Portugal to face Sporting CP. Any potential opportunities given to Tierney will be key in deciding where his future lies beyond this summer as Premier League rivals eye up a move for the former Celtic man.
According to The Telegraph Newcastle are plotting a move for Tierney, who could cost in excess of £30 million if the Premier League leaders are willing to sanction his departure this summer. Former Arsenal defender Mikael Silvestre has now weighed in on the situation facing Tierney with Zinchenko that he has described as "impossible".
Silvestre told bettingexpert.com: "Zinchenko is quite a special player. That’s what it is (when asked why Tierney is not able to break into the starting XI).
“You have to compete with someone else who’s won the Premier League already with City and he’s doing well. That’s what it is, it’s just tough because of that. So, you have to be patient.
"It doesn’t mean you just let go and wait. You have to prove in training every time that you deserve to play. But yes, it is difficult to get Zinchenko out of the team. It is pretty much impossible."
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