Arsenal’s England youth internationals made a combined seven appearances over the international break, providing a goal, two assists, a penalty, and a clean sheet.
In addition to Arsenal’s four senior call-ups for the September international break, the Gunners also saw five players called up across the various youth teams, from the u17s to the u21s.
Ethan Nwaneri was named in the England u21s for a Euros qualifier against Kazakhstan, Jack Porter and Max Dowman were promoted to the u19s for a selection of friendly fixtures, and Josiah King was also called up by the u17s for a friendly tournament.
Tommy Setford was called up by the England u20s to complete the quintet, but after he suffered an injury in Arsenal’s last u21 game against Brighton, he wasn’t named in the squad to face Italy last Friday.
Things went well for the other four. Nwaneri scored the opening goal for the England u21s and won the Player of the Match award as they dispatched Kazakhstan to kick their Euro qualification campaign off on the right foot.
Porter kept a clean sheet in his debut England u19 appearance against Ukraine, and Dowman won a penalty in the draw with Spain and featured in cameos in the other two wins.
King played in wins over Venezuela and Germany, providing two assists in the latter appearance.
The two assists were a bit unusual, with one of them more of a long-ball clearance and the other a cross that evaded its intended targets before fortuitously falling to the goalscorer at the back post. But King put in a good attacking performance going forwards and earned his luck.
Arsenal England youth September international results
Wednesday, September 3rd
- Ukraine 0-2 England u19s – Porter played 90 minutes and kept a clean sheet, Dowman played 20 minutes as a substitute. Both were making their debuts.
- Venezuela 1-2 England u17s – King started and played 60 minutes on his debut for the England u17s.
Friday, September 5th
- England u20s 1-2 Italy – Setford wasn’t named in the squad.
Saturday, September 6th
- Spain 3-3 England u19s – Dowman played 69 minutes and won a penalty for England, Porter was an unused substitute.
- Israel 1-2 England u17s – King was an unused substitute.
Monday, September 8th
- Kazakhstan 0-2 England u21s – Nwaneri played 76 minutes for England, scoring the opening goal of the game and winning England’s Player of the Match award.
Tuesday, September 9th
- Germany 5-7 England u17s – King played 90 minutes and provided two assists for England’s fourth and sixth goals of the game.
- Netherlands 1-4 England u19s – Dowman played 45 minutes for England, coming off with the team 3-0 up. Porter was an unused substitute.