Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney admits the Gunners ‘need’ Mikel Arteta at his ‘full-on’ best in training. The Scotland star also states the squad wholeheartedly believe in the manager.
The Emirates Stadium natives sit atop the Premier League table under Arteta on 47 points after 18 games. They have a five-point advantage and a fixture in hand on the reigning title holders, Manchester City. Arsenal have also won the most (15) and lost the least (1) times.
Only the Citizens (50) have scored more goals than the Gunners (42), too. While Newcastle United are the only top-flight team to produce a superior defensive record this term. They have conceded just 11 goals over 19 games while Arsenal have let in 14 through 18 games.
Arteta has only given Tierney a limited role in Arsenal’s successful season so far after losing out to Oleksandr Zinchenko. The defender has started just four of his 15 appearances for a total of 461 minutes. He is also yet to lay on an assist or score a goal in the Premier League.
Tierney states the Arsenal squad believe in how Arteta acts in training
But Tierney buys into everything that Arteta tries to sell his Arsenal players during training at London Colney. He admits that the Spaniard’s highly emotional and eccentric approach is the Spaniard’s style from the moment he arrives at their facilities and is just what they need.
“The directors knew what the manager was doing and what his message to us was every day in training,” Tierney told The Scottish Sun. “They would also have known how much we believed in it.
“The gaffer deserves an awful lot of credit for what he’s transformed us into. But we’re only 18 games in. The manager is obsessed with football and being a manager and getting his message across to the players, though. I think you need that.
“He is full-on from the minute you get into the training ground to the minute you leave. And if you’ve got a manager like that, you’ve got every chance.”
Arsenal will have two games in hand over Manchester City by the time the Gunners are in action on Sunday. The Citizens, who came from 0-2 down to beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-2 on Thursday, host Wolves in a 14:00 kick-off before the Gunners host Manchester United.
The Red Devils travel to the Emirates to take on the league leaders sitting third in the table with 39 points. Manchester United dealt the Gunners their sole defeat of the term so far in September. Erik ten Hag’s side beat Arteta’s Arsenal 3-1 with Tierney an unused substitute.
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