There are only a few weeks left in the current campaign and it's highly unlikely that the Scottish full-back will return before the season ends.
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Arsenal have been dealt with a major blow after it was announced that left-back Kieran Tierney will undergo surgery on a knee injury. In other words, Tierney’s season is more or less over with the Gunners. There are only a few weeks left in the current campaign and it’s highly unlikely that the Scottish full-back will return before the season ends. It is not just a concern for his club but also for the national team. Tierney’s participation in June’s World Cup play-off for Scotland against Ukraine is also in major doubt right now.
The 24-year-old had apparently suffered the problem in training last week with Arsenal. Following a specialist consultation that took place on Tuesday, it has been decided that he requires surgery. “Kieran felt discomfort after a training session on Thursday, March 31. Further assessments and scans have confirmed that Kieran has damaged his left knee,” an Arsenal statement read.
“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.
“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. Everyone at the club will now be supporting and working hard with Kieran to get him back on the pitch as soon as possible.”
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The injury situation could not have come at a worse time for the Gunners. Arsenal were on an impressive run of form in recent weeks. From being too far away from the top four places, Mikel Arteta’s side are now favourites for the coveted fourth spot in the Premier League table. Arsenal are on 54 points same as fourth-placed Tottenham Hotspur, but the Gunners have a game in hand.
Tierney was a big part of Arsenal’s recent impressive run. His injury in that position will leave a big headache for Arteta. In Tierney’s absence, Nuno Tavares, a summer signing from Benfica, started on Monday night during the 3-0 defeat at Crystal Palace. However, Tavares was subbed at half-time following a forgettable outing.
Notably, Tavares had a similarly dismal outing in January when Arsenal exited the FA Cup at the third round stage against Nottingham Forest. In the match, he was taken off after just 34 minutes. With Tierney most likely out of the season, can Tavares fill that role in the last nine matches or does Arteta need to look at other players within the squad?
Midfielder Granit Xhaka has experience playing in the left-back role while right-back Cedric Soares can also be deployed on the opposite flank. They will surely provide a better cover on that flank defensively than Tavares.
However, Soares being switched as a left-back largely depends on the other right-back Takehiro Tomiyasu recovering from injury. It goes without saying that this crisis is the last thing Arteta would have wanted at the business end of the season.
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