Arsenal are scheduled to take on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in the 2022/23 Premier League opener on Friday, August 5. Ahead of the encounter, the Gunners have received encouraging news that left-back Kieran Tierney is fit after recovering from knee surgery.
Tierney has been sidelined since March 31 due to a knee injury, which forced him out of the second half of the 2021-22 campaign. The defender's recovery has gone well and his recent announcement suggests he is now fully fit and prepared to get back on the pitch.
“I’m ready. I’m good to go," the Scotsman said during an interview with Chris Sutton on The Daily Mail.
“I went to a training camp in Marbella in the summer and worked there for 10 days to get fit, me and the sports scientists and physios and a few others.
“In a sad way, I know my way around an injury now. But it definitely doesn’t get any easier,” the left-back added.
Kieran Tierney is currently one of the key figures in Mikel Arteta's defense at the Emirates Stadium. Last season, the 25-year-old made 25 appearances for the Premier League giants across all competitions, recording three goals and one assist to his name.
This term, however, he'll face stern competition for the left-back spot following the arrival of Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City this summer.
It remains to be seen how the two players will go up against each other for the starting spot.
Arsenal's next five EPL games after Crystal Palace
After taking on the Eagles away from home today, Arsenal will host Leicester City at the Emirates Stadium in their next game before traveling to Bournemouth to play their third game of the league season.
They'll then lock horns with Fulham and Aston Villa in their next two games before their first big fixture of the season on Matchday 6, which they'll play against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Mikel Arteta's men will definitely be hoping to get the campaign kicked off on the front foot. Only time will tell if they'll be able to make a strong statement heading into the term.
Paul Merson has predicted all the GW 1 fixtures of the Premier League. More details right here