U-23s: Swansea City v Arsenal: The Brief

THE STORY SO FAR

Our under-23s travel to south Wales on Monday evening, hoping to return to winning ways in Premier League 2 and keep within touching distance of leaders Liverpool.

Although we were 1-0 winners against Porto in our last game in the Premier League International Cup, we haven’t picked up three points in the league in either of our last two fixtures, against Tottenham and Chelsea.

THE OPPOSITION

The hosts have endured a tough start to the season and sit second from bottom in the Premier League 2 table with just eight points, ahead of Sunderland on goal difference.

The Swans beat Chelsea and West Ham earlier in the season, but back-to-back defeats at the hands of Leicester City and Everton mean that Monday night’s game is vital for them.

ONE TO WATCH

Emile Smith Rowe came off the bench in our 1-0 win against Porto at Meadow Park

Now a World Cup winner, following his involvement with England Under-17s in India, Emile Smith Rowe will be hoping to earn more opportunities with Steve Gatting’s side for the remainder of this season.

The 17-year-old has already featured twice under Gatting, in a 4-2 defeat at Everton and off the bench against Porto.

With many of Gatting’s regulars, such as Reiss Nelson and Eddie Nketiah, already earning opportunities with the first-team this season, Smith Rowe is a player who the head coach can rely on to fill the gaps left behind.

LAST TIME WE MET

Jack Wilshere featured, along with Tomas Rosicky, the last time we travelled to Landore Training Centre to face the Swans

We haven’t faced Swansea at under-23 level before, but we did face them with our under-21s back in April of 2016, where the Swans beat us 3-1 at Landore Training Centre, despite the presence of Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky in our team.

Adam King opened the scoring after just 16 minutes for the hosts, while Kenji Gorre doubled their lead shortly before the break. Serge Gnabry hit back for us 12 minutes from full-time, only for Alex Bray to regain their two-goal lead with a strike a few moments later.