The Arsenal u21s played their final game of the Premier League 2 regular season on Monday, and they now know their first play-off opponent.
The Arsenal u21s took on West Bromwich Albion on Monday, in their final game of the 2024/25 regular season.
Having already qualified for the play-offs, the Gunners perhaps had less to play for than their opponents, who needed two wins in their final two games to guarantee progression to the next stage.
West Brom came out the faster of the two teams, racing into a 2-0 lead by the 27th minute. But goals from Charles Sagoe Jr. and Will Sweet had Arsenal level at 2-2 just over 10 minutes later.
The second half started in a similar manner to the first, with West Brom scoring a couple of goals to go 4-2 up.
Arsenal had the chances to level again, earning two penalties in the 78th and 95th minutes. But only one was converted, with Salah-Eddine Oulad M’Hand missing and Khayon Edwards scoring. The match finished 4-3, with West Brom taking the three points.
Though there are still a couple of games to be played by other teams, Arsenal’s eighth-place finish is now confirmed. No team below them can catch up.
As a result, we know Arsenal will face the ninth-place side in the play-off round-of-16, which is confirmed to be Newcastle United. The Gunners will be at home.
Arsenal came out on top in the same fixture in February, defeating Newcastle 4-1 at Meadow Park. They’ll want to do the same this time around.
Arsenal u21 lineup vs Newcastle United
Porter, Rosiak, Washington, Clarke, Sweet, Henry-Francis, Kabia, Gower, Edwards, Salah, Sagoe Jr.
Substitutes
Quesada-Thorn (for Washington, 62), Copley (for Gower, 62), Harriman-Annous (for Sagoe Jr., 62), Kamara (for Henry-Francis, 80), Ranson