Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho has been proved right over the ability over Arsenal’s Kieran Tierney.
Ex-Gunners striker Ian Wright felt that both Tierney and striker Gabriel Martinelli were missed last night as Arsenal were held to a goalless draw by Crystal Palace at the Emirates Stadium.
Tierney missed the game through injury alongside Brazilians Pablo Mari and Martinelli and it led to Mikel Arteta’s side being unable to break down the resilient defence of Roy Hodgson’s side.
Wright stated after the game that if Martinelli and particularly Tierney had started last night, Arsenal would have had a good chance of turning one point into three yesterday.
"With Tierney coming back, with Gabriel Martinelli, that little bit of pace, thrust might get them going again,” Wright told Premier League Productions.
"One player does make such a difference and it is a bit of a worry, you take him out of the team and that side doesn't function.
"You're talking about the way Kieran Tierney gets up and down that left hand side, it's the full 90 minutes, he never stops.
"It has to come from somewhere else. Set-pieces when you consider Arsenal have a set-piece coach, the balls going in from Saka were very good and I don't think they were being attacked very well. We've got a set-piece coach for a reason.
"He's got a leader quality in the way he plays, the way he plays drags the rest of you through."
Those thoughts echo the comments of Tottenham Hotspur manager Mourinho, who has previously spoken highly of the Scottish international.
Talking about Tierney in August 2019, Mourinho praised his character and compared him to a young Nacho Monreal.
“Tierney is like a young Nacho Monreal,” Mourinho told Sky Sports.
"He is the same kind of profile. He’s reliable, looks a good character, looks a great personality.
“He looks a little like someone from a previous generation in some aspects.
“He has a humble way of behaving and I like his profile.”
