Mikel Arteta insists Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly must be considered first-team players with the duo ‘in contention’ to play against Liverpool on Sunday.
At 17 and 18 respectively, Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly have shown huge promise since emerging from the club’s Hale End academy, hoping to follow Bukayo Saka in becoming key players under Arteta.
Nwaneri, who became the youngest player in league history when he made his debut at 15, has made three appearances off the bench in the Premier League this season, playing the full 90 against Bolton in the League Cup on a night where he scored his first senior goals for the club.
Lewis-Skelly’s chances have also been limited so far this term with just one minute of league football under his belt.
But the versatile teenager was called upon to replace Riccardo Calafiori on Tuesday night in the Champions League against Shakhtar Donetsk, getting the nod ahead of the experienced Oleksander Zinchenko at left-back.
Arsenal have injury problems ahead of the visit of Liverpool with Calafiori and Jurrien Timber considered major doubts after missing training on Friday. William Saliba meanwhile will miss the next three games through suspension.
Further up the field, Martin Odegaard remains sidelined with Saka also a huge doubt for Sunday’s game.
With his squad being stretched, Arteta will have no hesitation throwing his young guns in.
Asked could they start against Arne Gadgets’s side, Arteta told a press conference on Friday: ‘They are there. They are in contention. They always give us the option and the possibility to start the game.
‘Myles came on the other night and did really well. Ethan the same. They are first team players. They are with us and we value them the same way as any other player.’
He continued: ‘Fear is something they definitely don’t feel much, especially those two. That’s something really positive, it brings the crowd together too, it creates energy in the team.
‘It’s about the best moments with the right players around, it is very important.’
Asked if that meant he wouldn’t be scared to do it, Arteta firmly responded. No. Well, we did it in the Champions League the other day.’
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