Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly starred for the Arsenal u18s on their return from England duty on Saturday, but the Gunners ended up drawing away to Manchester United.
The Arsenal u18s went into their final u18 Premier League Cup game on Saturday with a huge task on their hands, needing to win convincingly away to Manchester United to have any chance of progressing from the group stage.
Whilst that looked like a tough ask, the Gunners did at least have star youngsters Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly back from England u17 duty. Both had impressed hugely in helping England to top their qualification group.
Arsenal’s task on Saturday got even more difficult when Manchester United took the lead from the penalty spot in the ninth minute.
Jack Wilshere’s side responded, with Bradley Ibrahim converting a penalty won by Lewis-Skelly to send the two teams in level at the break.
The second half started in similar fashion to the first, with United again taking the lead through Ethan Williams. But once again, Arsenal stepped up, with Lewis-Skelly assisting Nwaneri for another equaliser.
The Gunners then took the game to their opponents, with Nwaneri scoring an impressive solo goal for 3-2.
But there was one more late twist, with Williams scoring his second United goal of the day for 3-3 in the 86th minute.
Even a win wouldn’t have been enough to progress to the knockout stages in the end, but Arsenal will take plenty of positives away from Saturday’s performance – not least the displays of their two England youth stars.
Arsenal u18 lineup vs Manchester United
Fedorushchenko, Nichols, Kacurri, Robinson, Ismail, Lewis-Skelly, Roberts, Ibrahim, Ferdinand, Benjamin, Nwaneri
Substitutes
Dudziak (for Nichols, 46), I. Oulad M’hand (for Robinson, 65), Kamara (for Roberts, 65), Gower (for Nwaneri, 85), Kovacevic
What’s next?
The Arsenal u18s don’t play again until Saturday, November 19th, when they face Southampton at 11:30 GMT.
In the meantime, Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly may hope to feature in the u21 Premier League Cup match against AS Monaco on Monday, November 14th at 19:00 GMT at Meadow Park.