Tierney not ready for Scotland until he’s an Arsenal regular, says Emery
Unai Emery asked Kieran Tierney not to link up with the Scotland squad next week to benefit his comeback from injury at Arsenal.
The 22-year-old made his Gunners debut in the 5-0 Carabao Cup win over Nottingham Forest, having joined from Celtic in the summer.
A niggling groin problem meant the left-back could not come straight into the Arsenal side but, after making his bow, Tierney then missed out on the squad for Monday’s draw at Manchester United.
Emery, pictured, insists there is no new injury and said he wants Tierney – who is set to start tonight’s Europa League clash with Standard Liege – to remain at the club’s London Colney training base over the international fixtures, rather than risk a setback if he were to join up with Steve Clarke’s Scotland.
Asked if he had spoken to Clarke about the situation, Emery replied: “No, I asked Kieran yesterday because we are waiting first for him to be with us consistently playing and after his injuries each step is important.
“For example, he didn’t play in Manchester because he had some small problem, not important, but the doctor told us it is better to be here working alone and preparing for tomorrow’s match and, if we here are with him taking precaution, it is also important for the national team.
“We are thinking it is not the moment to work with them [Scotland] for the next matches. I think he is going to be ready to play with us and to play with them but now he is going to play tomorrow and also hopefully he can be good completely, physically, tactically.
“With us I think he can but he must take the precaution ofnotplaying alotofmatches in a few days.”
Emery is expected to rotate his side, having only played at Old Trafford three days before the visit of Liege.
The likes of Gabriel Martinelli and Reiss Nelson will be pushing for a rare start, with Mesut Ozil also likely to come into the side. Emiliano Martinez will start in goal, the 27-year-old having been called into the Argentina squad for the first time in over eight years.
Having joined Arsenal in 2010, Martinez has spent several seasons away from the Emiratesstadiumoutonloan before becoming Emery’s back-up to Bernd Leno this year – with Martinez confident he is good enough to earn the role as first-choice for both club and country.
“Yes, of course,” he replied when asked if he believes he is the best goalkeeper at the club. “If you want to be Arsenal No 1 you have to believe in yourself no matter what. I believe in my talent, my work.”
Paul Pogba has not travelled to the Netherlands for Manchester United’s Europa League clash with AZ Alkmaar following specialist advice about a foot injury.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side continue their Group L campaign in The Hague tonight when the World Cup winner will be among a number of high-profile absentees.
Pogba played the entirety of last week’s Carabao Cup penalty shoot-out win against Rochdale and Monday’s 1-1 league draw with Arsenal, but an ongoing foot issue means he will not feature tonight. Solskjaer said it would have been too much of a risk, given that the game will be played on an artificial surface. Alkmaar are playing in The Hague because of problems with the roof at their own stadium
Wolves, meanwhile, travel to Turkish side Besiktas in Group K.
“We are thinking it is not the moment to work with them [Scotland]. He must take the precaution of not playing a lot of matches in a few days”
UNAI EMERY