Mikel Arteta has moved to appease fears over Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney.
The Scotland international was moving gingerly during the Gunners’ 2-0 win away at Southampton on Thursday night.
Arteta took him off after 70 minutes, prompting fears over his fitness ahead of Arsenal’s FA Cup quarter-final with Sheffield United on Sunday.
It’s been an injury-hit first season in North London for the former Celtic star – a £25 million signing last summer.
Before last night, Tierney had only managed 13 appearances across all competitions due to back and shoulder problems.
But the Arsenal head coach has insisted that mere cramping is what led to his substitution at St Mary’s, suggesting it was precautionary.
He told the club’s official website: “Kieran was cramping. He hasn’t played two games together in the last seven or eight months and he was suffering.
“The weather is different to Scotland and he needs to adapt to it.”
This will come as a huge relief to Arsenal fans, who have seen a number of first-team players – like Pablo Mari, Bernd Leno and Gabriel Martinelli – suffer long-term injuries over the past eight days.
Losing Tierney before such a big game this weekend would’ve been another dreadful blow for Arteta but, fortunately, the former Hoops defender looks like he’ll be okay.
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