Arsenal manager Unai Emery says the improvement in the Gunners’ defensive record over recent weeks is the reason why he has been reluctant to change personnel at the back.

Kieran Tierney, Hector Bellerin and Rob Holding are all now fully fit, but when asked if he had been leaving out his best defenders for Premier League games, Emery replied:

“We are improving defensively. We’re receiving less goals. I don’t want to achieve the best defensive solution with one group of players… It’s for all the players.”

Emery’s explanation doesn’t really hold up. They have had three clean sheets in their last five games but two of those, against Nottingham Forest and Standard Liege, were when the defensive trio all played some part in the game.

Tierney’s omission, in particular, is a surprise. The £25m summer signing from Celtic has looked solid defensively, as well as capable in the attacking third, during his two appearances so far, but he has been an unused substitute in the last two league matches.

Not many fans would agree with Emery that Sead Kolasinac is a better option, and it will be interesting to see whether the likes of Tierney, Bellerin and Holding will get more game time in upcoming games.