ARSENAL boss Mikel Arteta has reassured fans over the fitness of full-back Kieran Tierney.
The Scot was named in the starting XI to face West Ham United at the Emirates on Saturday night.
But he was withdrawn late on and replaced by Sead Kolasinac after feeling an issue in the warm-up.
Gunners fans were understandably worried about Tierney, given the injury issues that plagued his first season with the club.
The 23-year-old missed the start of last season with a hip injury, before then sitting out of a further 19 matches with a shoulder complaint.
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But Arteta, 38, has insisted that the ex-Celtic defender is “fine”.
He said: “Kieran is fine. He had a little muscular discomfort in the last few days.
“He tried today and worked in the warm-up but he wasn’t feeling comfortable today.
“We believed that he was going to be fit but during the warm-up, in the last ten minutes, he said he wasn’t feeling OK.
“We had to make a decision. We were prepared just in case and Kola came on and had a good game.”
The Gunners took a first-half lead when Alexandre Lacazette nodded home Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s centre.
But the Hammers hit back in fine fashion through in-form forward Michail Antonio.
Substitute Eddie Nketiah was on hand, however, to snatch all three points for the Gunners late on.
On the performance, Arteta added: “What I like is the approach the boys had in the last 25 minutes where I could see they were a bit down and then they lift it.
“Probably a few months ago we would have drawn or lost that game and today we win it.
“In the end you have to find a way because there will be games like this through the season.”
