Whisper it, but Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is potentially about to hand the forgotten Kieran Tierney a recall to his starting lineup for Monday’s visit to Everton at Goodison Park.
Arsenal are heading to Merseyside on the back of an extremely demoralising defeat away to Manchester United at Old Trafford, losing 3-2.
Arteta’s outfit could and most definitely should have been victorious at the Theatre of Dreams but, tomorrow evening, the Gunners can rectify that to some extent.
Nuno Tavares has suddenly become Arsenal’s first-choice option at left-back under the Spanish manager, displacing the experienced Tierney – a £25 million signing under Unai Emery – in the process.
However, Arteta could and perhaps will bench the Portuguese dynamo versus the Toffees tomorrow.
Tavares endured a shocker at Liverpool last month and despite improving against Newcastle United a week later, found himself struggling again at Manchester United.
Arteta can preserve Tavares’ confidence and esteem easily
Signed from Benfica during the summer transfer window, Tavares wasn’t good enough at Old Trafford to retain his selection in the starting eleven but, by the same token, he wasn’t dreadful.
And that last part is extremely important because it means that Arteta can bench him without destroying his confidence.
Further forward, Arsenal supporters have been calling on Arteta to remove the lethargic Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang following his display against United, but the former Manchester City coach is likely to keep faith in him.
Here’s how Arsenal are potentially going to line up against Rafael Benitez’s outfit on Merseyside: Ramsdale; Tomiyasu, White, Gabriel, Tierney; Partey, Lokonga, Smith Rowe; Odegaard, Martinelli, Aubameyang
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