KIERAN TIERNEY has admitted being “gutted” at being dropped for Arsenal’s win over Liverpool – but insists his manager made the right call.
Mikel Arteta sprung a tactical surprise last week when he started Takehiro Tomiyasu in the left-back position for the game against Jurgen Klopp’s Reds.
Tierney has been a consistent presence in defence this season as he and Oleksandr Zinchenko battle for a place in the first-team.
And with the Ukrainian out injured, many were taken by surprise when Tomiyasu, who is a right-back, was called upon to keep Mohamed Salah quiet.
Tierney revealed his disappointment at being told.
He said to Football Daily: “I was thinking that I got taken off in the Thursday game maybe to keep me for ready for the Sunday – and maybe that at the time was his plan as well.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
“Then, the day before the match, [Arteta] 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 and you want to soak up the atmosphere.”
But the gamble worked a treat, with Salah kept quiet before being hauled off by Klopp with 20 minutes to go.
Arsenal fought their way to a 3-2 win, and Tierney accepts the manager’s tactical masterstroke was inspired.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
He added: “There’s nothing I can say. We went out and won and Tomiyasu played amazing – the game plan worked! It just shows you because not many managers would think ‘let’s switch a right-back over here’, but he [Arteta] did and it worked.
“That’s the first meeting I’ve had like in my life. It’s been new to me. There was a spell last season for three or four games where I wasn’t playing. It’s all new to me and I’m learning and dealing with it.
“It is tough, footballers want to play and I’ve worked so hard to get back from injury. You just want to play as much as you can.”
Tierney arrived at Arsenal in 2019 and has regularly impressed fans with his defensive work.
The Scot has also had to see off competition from Nuno Tavares – who has since gone on loan to Marseille – and more recently Zinchenko, who has been dealing with niggling injury issues this season.
Tierney will be hoping he is back in the starting line-up today for the Gunner’s tricky trip to Leeds.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
