Tierney makes Arteta claim

Kieran Tierney has claimed that Mikel Arteta was right to take him out of the first team fold at Arsenal.

The Scot has been on loan with Real Sociedad this season after falling down the pecking order in north London.

Speaking to The Athletic, he said: “Look at the squad depth in that position now. They have Zinchenko, Timber, Tomiyasu, Kiwior. Four players can play there.

“So if I go back and it’s the same as before then I’m not silly, I know the chances are I’ll be leaving. But you never know in football. You get the rare case with [William] Saliba.

“Where he came back after a couple of good seasons [out on loan] but you don’t see it too often with someone who has played for four years, left, and then come back to play again.”

He added: “There are no hard feelings or spite from me. I understand the decision of the manager to change me from No.1 to No.2. It’s football.

“It never happened in a personal way. It was tactical. He thought it was best to get Arsenal results.

“And he was 100 per cent correct, when you look at it. They were close to winning the league last year, and this year I think they’ll do it.”