Arsenal’s talented winger, Alex Iwobi, has showered club legend Thierry Henry with praise, saying his advice helped the Nigerian youngster to score a quick-fire brace against Bayern Munich in their UEFA Youth League clash on Tuesday afternoon.

Their 2-0 victory was with a weakened side, considering all of the players currently involved in the u17 World Cup, as well as the midfield trio of Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Dan Crowley and Gedion Zelalem who are all on loans across the UK.

Henry, who scored 226 goals in 369 appearances for the Gunners, joined the club’s managerial staff in their youth set-up, as he aims to get the required qualifications needed for his coaching badges.

His presence alone for the youngsters is awe-inspiring, and helps motivate the aspiring crop coming through the ranks, reminding them that they can achieve success, as long as they work hard and listen to their coaches.

Iwobi said he personally owed his goals to Henry, as he’d told him prior to the match that “most wingers get their goals at the back post”, so he applied that advice to the match and reaped the rewards.

“Other coaches I have had have all played football but no disrespect to them; I have never had anyone like Thierry. He’s like one of us, just jokes around. But when we have to be serious he’s very serious – he may criticise us a few times, but that’s just for us to get better.”

Having scored nine goals in the u21s’ final nine fixtures of last term, as well as bursting onto the first-team scene with an eye-catching display at this summer’s Emirates Cup, he’s already beginning to establish himself on the fringes of the first team.

The pressing question at the moment is: When will he get his chance?