Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says Tuesday night’s Champions League dead rubber against PSV Eindhoven was not the “right context” to blood young players.
Academy trio Ethan Nwaneri, Lino Sousa and Reuell Walters were part of the matchday squad in Holland but were left as unused substitutes.
Sousa and Walters had hoped to make their senior debuts for the Gunners, while Nwaneri could have the youngest Arsenal player to play in Europe.
Arteta spoke of his preference for pointing out the ability of youngsters in his pre-match press conference on Monday, but explained after Tuesday’s 1-1 draw that it was not the right time.
The Spaniard made five changes in the final 30 minutes but brought in first-team players Ben White, Declan Rice, Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard.
Arteta explained that he is hesitant to include young players in a game opposed to a PSV side that have won all 15 league games this season, although he is also afraid to make substitutions as Aaron Ramsdale and Eddie Nketiah picked up knocks.
“I don’t think it was the right context,” said Arteta. “Making eight changes already, to throw them in there against a team that hasn’t lost at home in nearly two years, I didn’t think it was the right moment.
“I wanted to see how the game developed, but it was too much I think for them and as well we had three little issues, and we had to play the subs, and we had no room because we really wanted to play Emile as well.
“We wanted to play Emile a little bit earlier, but we waited because we had two players with disorders and we asked them if they could continue.
“I didn’t have to make adjustments too early and then play the last six, seven or eight minutes with 10 men. That’s the reason. “
Mohamed Elneny made a rare start for Arsenal at the Philips Stadion but lasted just over an hour before suffering an obvious hamstring problem and being replaced by captain Odegaard.
Asked about the Egyptian’s injury after the PSV game, Arteta said: “Yes, we don’t know the extent, but he did something. “
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