Shad Forsythe believes there are advantages to having a shoulder injury versus a lower-limb injury, and Kieran Tierney can take advantage to return in very good condition.

Kieran Tierney is out with a shoulder injury at the moment, but Arsenal head of fitness Shad Forsythe believes he’s going to come back strong due to the running work he’s able to do already.

David Ornstein recently reported that Arsenal don’t expect Tierney back available for selection until mid-to-late March. He can’t take part in contact work yet, which limits his ability to take part in full training. However, Forsythe thinks there’s good news too.

“We also have Kieran Tierney who’s rehabbing a shoulder injury,” Forsythe said. “So there’s quite a few things Kieran can do with the team, with the ball, as long as he’s not really in contact right now.

“The great thing, if there ever is a great thing about having a shoulder injury versus a lower-limb injury in football, is that we run.

“Kieran’s probably going to come back in very, very fit and very in shape from a running perspective because he’s been doing tonnes of running or different patterns, ball work, things for his position specifically.

“Also talking to Mikel and the coaches and building things that’ll have him ready to step in and perform in his position.”

This was always going to be the upside of a very disappointing injury for Tierney. He had his problems in the lower-limb areas when he joined the club, and getting an opportunity to rest and rehabilitate those injuries properly is a good thing for him.

That doesn’t change the fact it was a big loss to Arsenal not having the player available for a few months. If it means he comes back stronger though, we may just have to think long-term.