Our two academy sides had fixtures on the weekend and you can see everything in one place with Academy Action!
Jack Wilshere’s under-18s began their U18 Premier League Cup group with a 1-1 draw against West Ham United, while Mehmet Ali’s under-21s got back to winning ways with a 3-0 victory over Reading in Premier League 2.
Arsenal U18s 1-1 West Ham United U18s
West Ham were reduced to ten men when goalkeeper Fin Herrick was sent off for a foul on Louie Copley outside the penalty area. He was replaced by left winger Liam Jones in goal.
Jones spilled a Michal Rosiak free-kick into the path of Harrison Dudziak, who gave us the lead, but the away side responded courtesy of Josh Ajala.
With Derby County and Middlesbrough drawing their game 2-2 in Group B of the U18 Premier League Cup, we are all level on one point after one round of matches.
Dudziak felt we should have capitalised more following the red card to West Ham's goalkeeper: "Based on the circumstances, with them having ten men, we really need to win that game. The week off we have now, we have to go hard in training and try to get a win against Reading next."
Arsenal U21s 3-0 Reading U21s
We broke the deadlock on the stroke of half time through Ethan Nwaneri - Myles Lewis Skelly played an incredible lofted pass over the Reading defence and Nwaneri delightfully lobbed the keeper as he came rushing out to give us a deserved lead.
Khayon Edwards got himself on the scoresheet when he found space within the six-yard box during a goalmouth scramble to bundle his effort home and double our advantage.
Charles Sagoe Jr made it 3-0 to wrap up a convincing win.
Edwards said: "They played a low block and it was hard to get into the game at times. I took my opportunity when it came. It was a scrappy goal but you've got to take them. Mehmet has got us playing a lot of attacking football and it's great to be working under him."
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