Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is in a precarious position after his weekend misdemeanours.
The striker was left out of the Gunners starting line-up for the North London derby for disciplinary reasons after arriving late to the game.
He was left furious as a result and skipped the post-match warm-down in order to make an early getaway leaving his role as club captain under threat.
According to reports, Mikel Arteta does not wish to take the matter any further and is set to allow him to remain as captain.
But Aubameyang would appear to be on thin ice - and Arteta already has his next captain waiting in the wings.
Arteta has talked up Kieran Tierney’s leadership in the past and admitted he has the attributes to one day lead the club.
And, in Aubameyang’s absence, he stepped up to prove exactly what he offers in the Arsenal team in Sunday’s derby win.
Revealing new footage has been released by the Gunners on their YouTube channel following Tierney through the game.
In the four-minute long clip, the Scottish left-back can be seen constantly barking orders and encouraging his side, showcasing his leadership skills on the pitch.
One particular moment shows exactly why he could be a prime candidate to replace Aubameyang as captain.
After Tottenham took the lead against the run of play through Erik Lamela’s stunning rabona, Tierney shouts at his team-mates: “Boys, we need to f****** score. How many chances?”
Moments later, he leads by example, bursting down the left wing to lay the ball on a plate for Martin Odegaard to net the equaliser.
Later on in the game, he shouts at midfielder Thomas Partey, pointing to his head and urging him to switch on as the Gunners closed out the game.
With a mixture of tactical instructions and keeping his team-mates in the right mental space during the biggest game of their season, Tierney’s qualities as a leader are clear.
Arteta hailed Tierney after victory over West Brom earlier this season, talking up his captaincy credentials.
“I think he can be Arsenal captain as he has the respect and admiration of every member of the staff and every player,” said the Gunners’ boss. “It is just the way he is. He does it in a natural way.
“He is a really shy boy as well but he represents all of us in the club; all of the values that we want to instill and are in the DNA in this club.
“Since the moment I joined the club I have seen a player with enormous talent with the perfect attitude and commitment.
“He is a joy to work with and I am so happy for him for the way he scored [against West Brom] and everything he has put in to be better every day towards the team, towards the club.
“He has had some issues to adapt. We tried to help him. It was a challenge for him to leave his house as we all tried to help him.
“He is shy and so humble. He came here and it took him a while. He had a really bad injury and was away from home but he is a natural leader.
“You see how he behaves on the pitch and when he talks he says the right thing. And he is exactly what we are looking for and I am so happy to have him in the team.”
Arteta’s comments were proved right yet again against Tottenham as Tierney shined on the big stage.
He was also instrumental in their Europa League comeback against Benfica and, with Aubameyang watching on from the sidelines, he clearly staked his claim to become the next Arsenal captain when the time is right.
Whilst Alexandre Lacazette came in as a direct replacement for Aubameyang and wore the armband at the weekend, his future at the Emirates is also uncertain.
With Tierney set to be a mainstay in the side for years to come and with his influence abundantly clear, it seems a matter of when rather than if he becomes Arteta’s next captain.
