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Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney missed the final 10 games of the 2021-22 Premier League due to a serious knee-injury. Gunners' doctor Gary O'Driscoll revealed in their 'All or Nothing' Amazon documentary some more details about the injury and the manner in which this freak injury was spotted one day.
It was negligence on the Scotland international's part that aggravated his problems and eventually saw him sidelined as Arsenal pursued a return to the Champions League. Tierney initially suffered knee cartilage damage in February during the Gunners' hard fought 2-1 victory against Wolverhampton Wanderers, however, the player ignored the issue and continued to play.
Five games later, the conditions went from bad to worse and the Arsenal full-back finally realized the extent of his problem in unfortunate circumstances after a shower one day. O'Driscoll was in conversation with technical director Edu Gaspar on the penultimate episode of the All or Nothing series and revealed (via the Daily Mirror):
"The Wolves game, he had a hyper extension injury, finished the game, didn't mention it and then played the next five games with no problems whatsoever.
But he then walked out of the shower on Thursday after training, turned a corner and bent his knee and felt the knee collapse."
The medical team at Arsenal did a great job in dealing with the 25-year-old's scare and got him up and running before the start of the 2022-23 season. Mikel Arteta is going easy with his player for now and does not want to rush him back into the starting XI.
Tierney came on as a substitute in both of the Gunners' Premier League encounters against Crystal Palace and Leicester City, playing seven and 13 minutes respectively. With the addition of Oleksandr Zinchenko to the squad, Arsenal will be able to better manage the Scottish left-back's game time. He required this management after missing 48 games for the Gunners due to injuries in his short stay in north London.
Arsenal flop set for return to Ligue 1
Nicolas Pepe could seal a return to the French top flight before the transfer window concludes this month, according to Foot Mercato. Nice are interested in signing the former Lille forward on loan and the Gunners are open to letting the player leave.
Pepe, who arrived at the north London club in a record £72 million move has flattered to deceive in his time at the Emirates. He has failed to deliver consistently and lacks the cutting edge that he was supposed to bring to the side in the final-third.
The 27-year-old finds himself second-choice to Bukayo Saka on the right wing. With the player's agent having met with Nice's representatives, a move could prove beneficial for all parties.
