Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta explains Kieran Tierney call as Premier League snub continues

Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney has found himself out of the side again (Image: GETTY)

Mikel Arteta refused to be drawn on any deeper meaning behind his continued snub of Kieran Tierney, who dropped back to the bench after featuring for Arsenal in the midweek Europa League defeat to PSV Eindhoven. The Spaniard has overlooked the Scotland international in the absence of first-choice left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, instead playing Takehiro Tomiyasu out of position.

Tierney has taken the blow well though and vowed to maintain his professionalism in a bid to prove Arteta wrong.

Initially, it was believed Tomiyasu was only being deployed at left-back to take care of Mohamed Salah against Liverpool but now three weeks down the line, Tierney cannot get a game in the Premier League.

When asked if there was a reason behind the call, Arteta said ahead of the visit of Nottingham Forest: “Nothing, every player, obviously the accumulation of minutes and they played Thursday night as well.

“We tried to name a team that is fresh and that is ready to win the game.”

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Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta explained his decision to keep Kieran Tierney benched (Image: GETTY)

Arsenal are looking to bounce back after a difficult week that saw them draw at Southampton before losing 2-0 to PSV in Holland.

Forest come into the game off the back of a massive victory over Liverpool that will boost their confidence of delivering a similar upset in north London.

“Yes but this is a challenge. We play so many games and today we have another challenge,” Arteta added.

“We need to play well and perform at the highest level to try and win the game.

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“It’s a completely different [Forest] team [from last season] due to the amount of signings they’ve had. They’ve been really consistent and they deserve full respect.”

Speaking to Football Daily earlier this month, Tierney explained his devastation at being dropped by Arteta for the clash with Liverpool: “I was thinking that I got taken off in the Thursday game maybe to keep me ready for the Sunday – and maybe that at the time was his plan as well.

“Then, the day before the match, he said ‘it’s not on your performance, this is just a tactical change that I want to make.’

“I was like ‘I’m gutted. I’m not going to be angry, I’m not going to not try hard, but I’m gutted because I want to play every opportunity I can. Especially the big games you want to play and you want to soak up the atmosphere.”

Tomiyasu has become Arsenal’s Mr Versatile at the back for the Gunners since arriving from Bologna on transfer deadline day in 2021.

The well-rounded defender was initially signed as a centre-back before slotting in at right-back last season.

Now he has made the transition to left-back – further denting Tierney’s hopes of playing regular football at the Emirates Stadium.

Zinchenko has now missed Arsenal’s last nine matches with a calf injury as he attempts to return to action before the mid-season break next month.