3 Arsenal players to potentially come in for the North London derby

2. Kieran Tierney

Kieran Tierney has largely been forgotten or underrated by fans since Oleksandr Zinchenko joined the club. With the latter’s injury leaving him out of some games, Tierney has shown his quality. He was immaculate against Brentford, proving that he can fit Arteta’s mould. He provided an outlet out wide but was also able to slot into midfield and help build up play like the Ukrainian so often does.

There remain doubts over Zinchenko’s readiness for Saturday but these concerns are assuaged by the quality of his replacement. If Tierney comes in against Tottenham, the level of the squad will stay high. While the team may lose some fluidity in attack, Tierney’s defensive awareness will more than make up for it.

The Scottish international is one of the most balanced defenders in the league. His ability on the ball in the attacking third is incredible. His crosses from the byline and the ease with which he beats his man to turn the corner are invaluable. He has added interchanging with midfielders and wingers to his already impressive all-around game.

Further back, he defends with intelligence. He can stick to mazy dribblers with ease and rarely gets beat. While Tierney has been in and out of the team because of injury and Zinchenko’s form, now might be the chance for him to show exactly why he deserves to be playing week in and week out. Brush him aside at your own risk.

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