Tierney reveals how Zinchenko is helping him adapt to Arteta's tactical demands

Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney is learning from Oleksandr Zinchenko on how to adapt to the manager’s tactical demands in a bid to stake a claim in the first team.

The Scotland international has struggled to gain a starting place under Mikel Arteta since Zinchenko’s signing from Manchester City in July last year, often featuring off the bench last season.

Tierney made a second-half cameo against Manchester United in the pre-season friendly in New Jersey on Saturday, and gained plaudits from fans.

On the Ukrainian defender’s unorthodox position, he said: ‘I’ve done it for the last year. I’m learning it.

‘Alex is the prime example of how to do it so if you’re going to learn off anyone, it would be Zinchenko.

‘I’ve been learning off him and asking him questions but there are so many different ways of playing. The last few games I haven’t been doing that.

‘It’s all learning as it was genuinely all new to me. I had never played in the centre of the park before. It wasn’t somewhere I ventured in very often before, so it makes you a better player learning.’

He has been recently linked with both Newcastle and Celtic, but the defender played down such speculation.

‘It’s not really up to me,’ he said. ‘I’m happy, I’m working hard every day and getting minutes.

‘I’m just trying to do as well as I can. You can’t play every single game, every single season, every single year.

‘I don’t expect that and I still made a lot of appearances last year.’

On the lack of opportunities last season, he added: ‘I was ready every game and working 100 per cent. I think everyone in there would agree with that, that I never give less than that whether I’m playing or not.

‘In the games I did play I tried to do my best for the team. I came off the bench a lot