A number of Arsenal academy players trained with the first team ahead of their League Cup clash with Brighton on Wednesday night.

Rob Holding holding Nathan Butler-Oyedeji in training with Arsenal (Photo via Arsenal.com)
Rob Holding holding Nathan Butler-Oyedeji in training with Arsenal (Photo via Arsenal.com)

In pictures of Arsenal’s first-team training session on Tuesday, Taylor Foran, Jack Henry-Francis, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji, Matt Smith, and Reuell Walters could all be seen involved and competing with the senior players.

None of the five have made their senior debut, despite plenty of appearances in the first-team squad for Smith.

Henry-Francis, Smith, and Walters have all played for Mikel Arteta in pre-season games, but they’re waiting on their first competitive minutes.

Whether or not Arteta uses any of the academy players in the match against Brighton is unclear. After all, they are Premier League opponents, so it’s not as obvious an opportunity as if they’d drawn a lower-league side.

But the quintet listed above will hope that one or two of them at least get to join the squad at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday night.

Reuell Walters (R) in training with Arsenal (Photo via Arsenal.com)
Reuell Walters (R) in training with Arsenal (Photo via Arsenal.com)

Foran and Walters are defenders, with Foran generally playing at centre-back, whilst Walters splits his time between centre-back and right-back.

Smith and Henry-Francis are both midfielders, probably more suited to a deeper role than playing in the final third.

Butler-Oyedeji is a forward, at his best on the wing but often used at centre-forward this season in the absence of injured u21 teammates.

Walters seemed to be the closest to senior minutes in pre-season, before he picked up an injury at the start of the competitive campaign. Perhaps he’ll take Takehiro Tomiyasu’s place on Wednesday night.