Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta breaks silence on ‘concerning’ injuries to Kieran Tierney and Thomas Partey

Everything that could have gone wrong went wrong for Arsenal at Selhurst Park, from the deflating 3-0 defeat to injuries to two key players.

The loss to the Eagles was the first the Gunners have suffered on the road since January, and it landed a heavy blow to their quest to secure Champions League football next season.

That spot is currently occupied by north London rivals Tottenham, who sent out a statement win by thrashing a sorry-looking Newcastle United 5-1 on Sunday, putting pressure on the Gunners who ultimately failed to respond.

Arsenal still have a game in hand, even if that is against Chelsea, and the now rescheduled north London derby on May 12 could decide who plays on Wednesday or Thursday nights.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta sounded quite worried when he speaking about the injury to pacy Scottish left-back Kieran Tierney, with reports circling that he could be out for the rest of the season.

Tierney pulled out ahead of the match, with his replacement Nuno Tavares getting hauled off at half-time after a disappointing performance.

After the match, Arteta said: “He is seeing the specialist on Tuesday and we will know more about the extent of the injury, but the feeling that he had wasn’t really positive and what the scan showed either.

“We have to wait and see what happens.”

Arteta was also left worried that his in-form midfielder Thomas Partey appeared to have pulled his groin, and had to be replaced just before the game ended in south London.

He revealed he was “concerned” and would have to give the medical team time to assess if the Ghanaian midfielder would be ready for the weekend’s game against Brighton.

“I don’t know, but he [Partey] felt something in the same area that he got injured previously, so it’s a big concern,” Arteta said.

“It’s what we have, it’s the numbers that we have and we have to wait.”

Arsenal have made significant progress under Arteta, after starting the season with three defeats and many already doubting the credentials of the young Spanish manager.

Not many thought he’d last till the end of the season given how they started.

But he has stuck to his methods and brought in players who are looking sharp and hungry in their quest to return the club to the very top of European football.