Kieran Tierney admits Arsenal players must take blame for poor form
Burnley recorded their first-ever win at the Emirates Stadium.
Kieran Tierney admits Arsenal’s recent form has been “terrible” after the Gunners lost a fourth home Premier League game in a row.
Burnley recorded their first-ever win at the Emirates Stadium as a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang own goal saw the Clarets secure a 1-0 victory after Granit Xhaka was sent off for the hosts.
The result leaves Mikel Arteta’s side just five points clear of the relegation zone and without a Premier League win since November 1.
It is the first time since 1959 that Arsenal have suffered four home league defeats in succession and they host Southampton on Wednesday night looking to get back to winning ways.
The current run has left them languishing in 15th place and Tierney knows that results have to improve.
“It’s not good enough,” he said.
“There is no way to disguise it. It’s terrible, to be honest. It’s not what we are, not where we are as a club.
“It’s not what the fans deserve, it’s not what the manager deserves, it’s not what the board and that deserve. It’s us players that need to take responsibility for this.
“It’s on us and nobody else. We have got a great manager and we believe in him 100 per cent. The blame is on us, nobody else.”
After a bland opening to the game, Xhaka was sent off just before the hour after grabbing Ashley Westwood around the throat.
The Switzerland international had initially been booked before referee Graham Scott upgraded it to a red card having watched the incident on the pitchside VAR monitor.
Asked if the dismissal was a game changer, Tierney added: “Yes of course.
“Red cards change games for and against you. It was tough as it was and when you are a man down it is always going to be tougher, especially against a team like Burnley.
“They’re physical, they’re good at it, they play to their strengths and they did that tonight.
“It kind of sums up how it’s been the last few weeks. We are always looking to turn the corner, to get a win to climb up the table and unfortunately it is just not going that way right now.”
Burnley had never led a Premier League game against Arsenal but picked up a second win of the campaign to move out of the bottom three.
While they needed an Aubameyang own goal to end their barren run at the Emirates, defender James Tarkowski felt the win had been coming.
“There’s a feel-good factor about the place now,” the England defender told Burnley’s official website.
“I know we’re still low down in the table but that’s not too concerning. We’ve been close a few years to nicking a result here, but I felt we did what we needed to do.
“Even when they were down to 10 men people think it’s get easy, but it doesn’t. They’ve still got some top players.
“We’re really pleased to get it over the line and a big three points. It’s been a good few weeks, really.”
