The news that Kieran Tierney would be missing for the rest of the Premier League season was a hammer blow to the momentum that Arsenal had acquired. It was evident in the game against Crystal Palace that the shake-up of the squad, forced through absences, had an impact on the performance.
The Arsenal defence looked shaky and were punished multiple times. Nuno Tavares and Cedric Soares may be decent cover, as shown through both of their performances in games this season, however, both not being the first choice weakens the output significantly.
However, there could be positive news in the near future with the return of Takehiro Tomiyasu. The Japanese international has missed nearly all of 2022 with two separate calf injuries.
