‘Tough night’… TNT Sports commentator left unimpressed with £20m Arsenal player’s display vs PSV 

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Lucy Ward was left unimpressed with Jakub Kiwior’s display for Arsenal against PSV in the Champions League tonight.

Mikel Arteta made eight changes to the side that lost 1-0 to Aston Villa on Saturday, with William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes and Kai Havertz all keeping their place.

Many expected to Spaniard to hand some youngster an opportunity but he opted for a more experienced side.

Jakub Kiwior started at left-back after also playing in the position at Luton Town last week.

The 23-year-old has struggled for starts so far this term and was tasked with dealing with the threat of Johan Bakayoko tonight.

And Lucy Ward feels the Polish defender endured a difficult 90 minutes in the Netherlands on Tuesday evening.

Ward unimpressed with Kiwior’s latest Arsenal display

Speaking on TNT Sports, the commentator feels Kiwior struggled while playing out of position for Arsenal tonight. 

“Kiwior’s had a tough night at left-back,” she said. “It’s not his natural position. Bakayoko has been running at him as well.”

Of course, Kiwior’s natural position is at centre-back but he has shown he can cover on the left-hand side.

With Takehiro Tomiyasu sidelined, it’s something Arteta has experimented with in recent weeks. But it’s hard to disagree with Ward’s assessment of Kiwior tonight as the £20 million man did struggle to deal with Bakayoko. 

Arsenal were far from their best this evening though and certainly looked like a side who’d made eight changes.

Eddie Nketiah did give them a lead just before halftime with an exceptional finish. But Yorbe Vertessen got PSV back on level terms in the 50th minute after a bright start to the half from the Eredivisie outfit.

The Gunners did improve after Arteta brought on the likes of Declan Rice, Ben White and Martin Odegaard. But PSV looked the more threatening and even rattled the woodwork in the second period.

Kiwior had an opportunity in the final moments of the game but blazed his effort over the bar to round off a difficult evening for him.