Xavier Amaechi and Bukayo Saka can’t stop scoring and assisting for the Arsenal academy in 2019, and they must be putting pressure on Unai Emery to get more first-team chances now.

BOREHAMWOOD, ENGLAND - JANUARY 17: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal scores his sides second goal from the penalty spot during the FA Youth Cup Fourth Round between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at Meadow Park on January 17, 2019 in Borehamwood, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
BOREHAMWOOD, ENGLAND – JANUARY 17: Bukayo Saka of Arsenal scores his sides second goal from the penalty spot during the FA Youth Cup Fourth Round between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at Meadow Park on January 17, 2019, in Borehamwood, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

Arsenal’s u23s defeated Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 on Friday, and both Amaechi and Saka had a big part to play in the win. Both players were involved in the build-up to the first goal, before Amaechi helped win a penalty for the second.

After that, Eddie Nketiah and Joe Willock stole the show, but nonetheless, it was another impressive performance from the two young wingers.

Here’s a breakdown of Amaechi and Saka’s direct goal contributions in all matches they’ve played since the turn of the year:

  1. Brighton (PL2) – Amaechi one goal and one assist, Saka one goal
  2. Manchester City (PL2) – Amaechi one goal, Saka two goals
  3. Tottenham Hotspur (Youth Cup) – Amaechi one goal and one assist, Saka two goals
  4. West Ham (PL2, abandoned at half-time) – Amaechi one assist
  5. West Brom (Youth Cup) – Saka one goal
  6. Tottenham Hotspur (PL2) – Amaechi one assist

In total that’s five-and-a-half games, three goals and four assists for Amaechi and six goals for Saka, in 2019 so far.

Other than Alex Iwobi, who has two goals and an assist since New Year’s day, none of Arsenal’s wide players are having the same sort of impact for the first team. Denis Suarez is yet to get off the mark, and Henrikh Mkhitaryan doesn’t have any goal contributions since returning from injury.

There aren’t really any other dedicated wide forwards in the squad to speak of, despite the fact Emery clearly likes to utilise them. The senior side have become incredibly reliant on Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Sead Kolasinac to provide goals and assists as a result.

The jump from academy football to first-team football is a huge one, of course. There’s next to no chance Saka and Amaechi would have 13 goal contributions for the first-team in the last month and a half, even if they were playing every game. Nonetheless, they’ve earned some opportunities, whilst the current starters are clearly out of form.

Perhaps next week’s rescue mission against BATE Borisov isn’t the best time to throw the pair into the deep end, but after that, they should be in Unai Emery’s thoughts.