The Arsenal u18s won against Reading on Saturday, with the help of a couple of assists from star striker Chido Obi-Martin.

Jack Wilshere’s Arsenal u18s have some big games coming up in the next few weeks, most notably an away fixture against Liverpool in the FA Youth Cup next Saturday.

But the team are on a good run at the moment, and they had the chance to keep that going in a league game against Reading this weekend.

Reading started the stronger in the early stages, forcing an early save from Noah Cooper, but it was the young Gunners who ended up taking the lead.

Bless Akolbire won the ball in midfield in the 35th minute, playing it up to Chido Obi-Martin for a quick counter-attack.

Obi-Martin chipped a ball over the top for debutant Dan Casey, who finished well for 1-0.

Things only got better just before the break, as Luis Brown allowed Arsenal to double their lead.

It was a clever set-piece routine, with Michal Rosiak playing a corner to the back post, where Brown had ghosted in unmarked to head the cross into the net.

Cooper had to make another save in the second half to keep out a Reading attack one-on-one, before Osman Kamara secured the result in the final 10 minutes.

Obi-Martin was heavily involved once again, outmuscling the Reading defence to win possession before playing in Kamara for a first-time finish.

Obi-Martin had a couple of chances to score a goal of his own on the day, but in the end he’ll settle for two assists to help Arsenal to a 3-0 win.

The assist double brings him to five goals and assists in six u18 Premier League matches.

The Gunners sit fourth in the u18 Premier League South, but their attentions will now turn to the FA Youth Cup.

“We’re in a good place at the moment, and we want it to continue,” Wilshere said afterwards.

“But, that’s the challenge — can we be consistent and push on from here? It starts from the way we train, which is paramount for the players to learn and get better.

“[The FA Youth Cup is] a knockout competition, so it changes the thought process and the mentality of the players.

“We know it’ll be a tough challenge, but if we keep building the levels in training and maintain strong unity, then I believe we can go out there and win the game.”

Arsenal u18 lineup vs Reading

Cooper, Julienne, Sweet, Brown, Kacurri, Rosiak, Akolbire, Casey, Ryan, Kamara, Obi-Martin

Substitutes

Bascoe Fisher (for Casey, 63), Small (for Akolbire, 63), Clairmont (for Kamara, 85), Ismail (for Julienne, 85), Rojas