Kieran Tierney;Brendan Rodgers confirm and reveals the return of former club player suddenly

Kieran Tierney made his return to Arsenal’s Premier League starting lineup on Saturday evening, starting against Brentford in what was his first league start in almost two years.

With the Gunners’ title hopes all but gone and eyes firmly on their Champions League clash with Real Madrid, Mikel Arteta shuffled his squad — giving Tierney a rare opportunity to start.

The 26-year-old made the most of it and looked sharp from the off. Midway through the first half, Tierney thought he had marked his comeback with a goal, powering home a header from Ethan Nwaneri’s cross.

The Arsenal players immediately rallied around him in celebration — a moment that spoke volumes. Tierney, a player who has quietly gone about his business through difficult spells of injury and selection setbacks, is clearly still a hugely respected and popular figure in the dressing room.

The celebrations, however, were short-lived. A VAR check ruled Tierney to be narrowly offside, and the goal was chalked off. It was a cruel blow in what could have been a fairytale moment for a player who has given everything to the club.

The match ended 1-1, with Arsenal rotating heavily ahead of their Champions League quarter-final second leg against Real Madrid. Their league campaign, having faltered in recent months, now takes a back seat as European ambitions take priority.

Tierney’s return to the fold comes just months before he rejoins Celtic, having signed a pre-contract agreement in January. The Hoops are not only welcoming home one of their own — they’re getting back a brilliant professional and a player of genuine top-level quality. His return will strengthen Brendan Rodgers’ defensive options and inject a proven winner into the dressing room.