Arsenal take on Brighton on Saturday and their manager has backed Nuno Tavares to do well for this key Premier League tie.
Kieran Tierney missed the Palace game due to an injury so Nuno Tavares had to deputise in his absence and now that Tierney has been ruled out for the rest of the season, Tavares is the only backup left for Mikel Arteta.
There have been question marks over his selection but Arteta seems to be putting faith in the 22-year-old to come good for the remainder of the campaign.
The manager said in his press conference: “Throughout your career you have to go through difficult moments, and he’s had some really good periods since he arrived at the club and he was playing many more minutes than he was probably expecting.
“That’s the life of a player, especially at that age. There’s ups and downs and we are here to try and help him and make his career better, and that’s what we’re going to do.
“He is ready and he is willing, and he will be disappointed, but it’s part of the job and we have to make decisions to try to win football matches. There is nothing personal there.”
🗣 Arteta on Nuno Tavares' reaction to his early substitution at Crystal Palace!
Can Nuno rediscover his best form against Brighton? 🤔#ARSBHA #Arsenal #Tavares pic.twitter.com/ip32LtR8TZ
— AFTV (@AFTVMedia) April 8, 2022
Can Nuno Tavares can come good as a replacement for Tierney?
Nuno Tavares played only 45 minutes against the Eagles and now that Tierney is out of action, Mikel Arteta is in a major fix.
The manager did not sign any new players in January and this has come back to haunt him really badly because Kieran Tierney and Thomas Partey have both picked up serious injuries.
Granit Xhaka is an option to play at left-back but with Partey ruled out as well, the Arsenal boss can make this tactical switch.
Thomas Partey will be out for a few weeks which means Granit Xhaka has to keep playing in central midfield while Nuno Tavares operates on the left-hand side of defence.
Tavares has played only 672 minutes in the Premier League this season so he will be majorly rusty and with games against Liverpool, West Ham United and Man United coming up, the 22-year-old will have to pull up his performances or else Arsenal will surely miss out on Champions League football.
