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Former Premier League forward Clinton Morrison feels Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney will be annoyed by his lack of playing time at the Emirates Stadium this season.
Arsenal have already claimed their stake as Premier League title contenders this season. They currently sit atop the table with 24 points, having won eight and lost one of their nine matches so far.
The Gunners have also won each of their three UEFA Europa League group stage games so far. Mikel Arteta and Co. are thus flying high in both the league and in Europe this campaign.
However, Tierney has found playing time hard to come by at the Emirates Stadium this season. The left-back has had injury problems since joining Arsenal from Celtic in 2019, but is available for team selection now.
Tierney has played eight Premier League matches for Arteta's side this season, but five of those appearances have come from the bench. The Spaniard also notably started right-footed defender Takehiro Tomiyasu ahead of him at left-back against Liverpool last weekend.
Addressing Tierney's situation, Morrison claimed that he would be frustrated to be spending a significant amount of time on the bench. The former Crystal Palace forward went on to hail the Scotland international as an 'outstanding defender'. He said on Sky Sports [via HITC]:
“Tierney must be frustrated at the moment. [Oleksandr] Zinchenko is not fit, Tomiyasu comes in. I think Tierney is an outstanding defender, but if you want to win trophies, you need competition for places.”
Arsenal will lock horns with Leeds United at Elland Road in their 10th Premier League game of the season on Sunday, October 16. They will also face PSV Eindhoven in their fourth Europa League match on Thursday, October 20.
Arsenal defender Tierney addresses lack of playing time
Tierney recently opened up on his lack of playing time at the Emirates Stadium this campaign. The Scot confessed that he has found it difficult not to play despite being fit and available. He said:
“It’s tough, footballers want to play. I worked so hard to get back from injury, you just want to play as much as you can when you’re back. Unfortunately, I’ve not played too many but every time I get a chance to play, I’m so grateful and I work as hard as I possibly can for the team."
Zinchenko has been Arteta's first-choice left-back this season, while Tomiyasu occupied the position against Liverpool last weekend. It remains to be seen if Tierney can reclaim his place in the starting lineup in the coming weeks.
