Arsenal FA Youth Cup fixture date creates first-team clash | OneFootball

Arsenal are set to face Queens Park Rangers in the fourth round of the FA Youth Cup, with the details of the game now confirmed.

Photo via Arsenal Academy on Twitter

After dispatching Hertford Town in their first appearance in the FA Youth Cup this season, the Arsenal u18s progressed to last week’s fourth-round draw and earned a tie against QPR.

The details of the game have now been confirmed, with Arsenal to play at home at Meadow Park on Saturday, January 18th at 17:00 GMT.

Arsenal have also confirmed that the match will be free to attend, but the date of the game throws up a couple of issues.

Photo via Arsenal.com

For a start, the Arsenal first-team are playing at home on the same day. The senior game against Aston Villa kicks off just half an hour later at 17:30, so any fans attending that match will have to miss the Youth Cup clash.

On top of that, the Arsenal u21s play on the same day away to Fulham, though that match is at midday.

That’s going to lead to an interesting conflict of priorities. The first-team game will presumably take precedence, with the likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly playing for the senior side despite being eligible for the u21s and the u18s as well.

But past experience would suggest the u18 game will get priority over the u21 match, with the Youth Cup held in high esteem by English academies.

The Gunners may therefore be forced to leave out a few players from the Premier League 2 clash against Fulham so they can play for the u18s later in the day.

Photo via Arsenal.com

Arsenal beat Hertford Town 4-3 in the third round, with Dan Casey scoring a brace and Andre Harriman-Annous and Louie Copley adding the other two goals.

Hertford thanked Arsenal for a few gifts after the game, which was nice to see. Hopefully the Gunners can replicate both their display of class and their winning performance against QPR.