By Lloyd Webb
It has been a bittersweet season for Chiori Johnson.
After missing seven months with to a knee injury, the defender has since returned to help Arsenal Under-21s challenge for the league title.
However, the crowning glory of Johnson's recovery was helping the under-18s progress to a FA Youth Cup semi-final clash against last year’s runners up, Manchester City.
"We have a big chance of winning it this season. We have a strong team and we are in a good place right now"
Chiori Johnson
While the 18-year-old could potentially end the season with silverware, he says he is just happy to be back playing again.
“It’s great,” he told Arsenal.com. “After seven months out injured, being back playing is a huge relief. I want to get back on track, push on from where I was before and get back to it.
"I had a bad knee injury. I can’t remember the exact name of the problem but I had to have two operations on it so it was quite bad.
“It is annoying because there is not a thing you can do but this has been the perfect way to come back. It is my last year to play in the FA Youth Cup so I would be so happy to win it this year.
“It would be massive for me. The FA Youth Cup is such a massive competition in England so winning it would be great.
"We have a big chance of winning it this season. We have a strong team and we are in a good place right now.”
Follow @Arsenal on Twitter from 6.55pm (UK time) on Friday for live updates from the game at Manchester City Academy Arena.
Johnson
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