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Arsenal's new belief and drive comes directly from 'brilliant' Mikel Arteta, says Kieran Tierney

Arsenal FC via Getty Images
Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Kieran Tierney says Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta is the reason behind the team’s new-found belief and has told supporters the best is yet to come if they give the Spaniard time.

Arsenal drew 1-1 with Leicester last night to extend their unbeaten run to five matches. The Gunners were on course to claim the win that would have put them level on points with sixth-placed Wolves after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s 21st-minute opener but, following substitute Eddie Nketiah’s red card 15 minutes from time, Leicester equalised late on through Jamie Vardy.

The Foxes then pushed for a winner but Arsenal held firm and, when asked where the team’s collective spirit and organisation had come from, Tierney said: “The boss. He has been brilliant. We had a period to work closely and obviously coming back we had a few weeks to work without games.

“The first few results we got weren’t ideal, but we are building something here. It won’t happen overnight but we’re progressing well.”

Vardy scored with six minutes remaining, although in Arteta’s eyes he should not have been on the pitch. The striker caught Shkodran Mustafi above the eye in the first half, but the incident went unpunished.

Nketiah’s dismissal leaves Arsenal short on strikers ahead of Sunday’s north London derby at Tottenham.

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