Arsenal’s under-21’s pushed their unbeaten record to six games as they drew 1:1 with Wolverhampton Wanders at Meadow Park – leaving them five points behind leaders Derby County with three games in hand.
Arsenal’s under-21s were relegated from Division One of the Premier League in 2014. With that they swapped playing the likes off Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Liverpool and even fierce rivals Tottenham Hotspur for the ‘less glamorous’ sides like Blackburn Rovers, Fulham and Stoke City.
Under-21‘s manager Steve Gatting made six changes to his side for their first game in just under a month including Kaylen Hinds returning from injury and Ryan Huddart replacing Matt Macey in goal.
Wolves looked dangerous early on after some sloppy play from the Arsenal back four, but it didn’t take long for the home side to get one ahead when Julio Pleguezuelo played through Donyell Malen who beat his marker with pace and drilled the ball home to give his side the breakthrough in the 16th minute.
Two minutes later, the visitors equalised when Arsenal failed to deal with a Connor Hunte cross in the six-yard box from the right hand side with Tommy Rowe poking home the loose ball to draw the sides level.
Neither side seemed to threaten for the rest of the half with Arsenal’s best opportunity coming from Ben Sheaf, who showed a good piece of skill with close control on the edge of the box but his shot was blocked.
Arsenal were given an early warning just after the break when Liam McAlinden went on a solo effort and cut inside but only for his shot to deflected inches wide of the post.
Bright Enobakhare starting running from inside in his own half and in no time, still had the ball inside Arsenal’s six-yard box after beating Pleguezuelo for pace but only to be denied by the post.
The north London side had the chance to score a dramatic late winner when Stephy Mavididi forced Jon Flatt into a world-class save but only for Krystian Bielik to hit the rebound off the cross-bar to round off a draw that could and perhaps so easily should, have been a victory.
Arsenal under-21’s manager Steve Gatting said after the match, as reported by the clubs official website, that the 1-1 draw was a ‘real boost’.
It keeps the boys going and keeps us in touch with the top of the league.
We have got a Youth Cup game on Friday and now the games come think and fast and we will need to rotate the squad. We have to because our squad is so small.
We tried to take the boys off who will feature on Friday but there were one or two boys who played 90 minutes and will start on Friday.
Arsenal face third place Aston Villa at Villa Park next on Monday 14th March.
