%20rotate(-8.06)%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22336.19%20136.81%20330.16%2094.25%20326.06%2071.19%20326.44%2071.13%20335.22%2093.54%20352.29%20134.52%20373.95%20131.46%20362.7%2052.01%20350.02%2053.8%20356.05%2096.36%20360.15%20119.42%20359.77%20119.48%20350.99%2097.08%20333.91%2056.09%20312.25%2059.15%20323.51%20138.6%20336.19%20136.81%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22402.91%2059.3%20412.36%20126.02%20427.17%20123.92%20417.72%2057.21%20431.59%2055.24%20429.79%2042.51%20387.23%2048.53%20389.04%2061.27%20402.91%2059.3%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22463.51%20118.77%20458.69%2084.71%20474.68%2082.44%20479.51%20116.5%20494.36%20114.4%20483.11%2034.95%20468.26%2037.06%20472.96%2070.25%20456.96%2072.52%20452.26%2039.32%20437.4%2041.43%20448.65%20120.88%20463.51%20118.77%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22540.5%20107.87%20538.77%2095.68%20518.91%2098.49%20515.77%2076.29%20535.63%2073.47%20533.93%2061.5%20514.07%2064.32%20511.11%2043.42%20530.98%2040.61%20529.25%2028.42%20494.53%2033.34%20505.78%20112.78%20540.5%20107.87%22%2F%3E%0A%20%20%3Cpolygon%20class%3D%22cls-1%22%20points%3D%22299.03%20155.17%20301.29%20171.58%20542.78%20138.39%20540.5%20121.97%20299.03%20155.17%22%2F%3E%0A%3C%2Fsvg%3E)
Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney & Bukayo Saka injury nightmare welcomes Xhaka
Arsenal will be without Kieran Tierney for the rest of the season. If not the whole campaign, then at least until the final day as Mikel Arteta confirmed the news everyone had been dreading after the Sheffield United win.
A resounding victory full of flagrant positive notes was overshadowed by two pieces of concerning news. Firstly, Mikel Arteta confirmed after the match that Kieran Tierney is now unlikely to return this season, with that 3-0 loss to Liverpool set to be his final action.
While he was still expected to miss between four and six weeks of action, should Arsenal have battled their way through to the latter stages of the Europa League there was hope he could have returned in some capacity, prayers that haven’t been answered:
"“Kieran is out, probably for the season,” Arteta revealed."
Back to winning ways! 😎
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) April 11, 2021
#️⃣ #SHUARS
Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney & Bukayo Saka injury nightmare welcomes Granit Xhaka to fill in at left-back against Slavia Prague
With this news not yet filtered through, Bukayo Saka fell to the floor in the second half clutching his thigh in a seemingly innocuous looking incident. There was a collision with a Sheffield United player that instigated the discomfort, and he was brought off.
First thoughts – perhaps optimistically – were that he just suffered a dead leg, something that usually takes a couple of days to heal. More reassuring is that he was seen leaving Bramall Lane without crutches or support in walking. That is reassuring.
Even more so because both Emile Smith Rowe and Martin Odegaard are doubtful for the second leg with Slavia Prague, and Saka put in an excellent display in the No. 10 role to help nullify the loss of the pair – further cementing the fact that he can, indeed, play absolutely everywhere.
The decision prompted Granit Xhaka to slot into left-back, one he assumed with confidence and assurance, not putting a foot wrong on the night.
Cedric was rested for the Premier League meeting which hints at his inclusion on Thursday, but Xhaka’s left-footedness is matched only by Saka and Tierney, a key aspect in the control Arsenal had on proceedings in south Yorkshire.
Would it be wise to keep him in the position for the Sinobo Stadium clash?