Arsenal may be forced to use youth forwards in coming first-team games | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has admitted that Arsenal may have to use academy players in their front three, given the injuries in the squad at the moment.

Photo via Arsenal Academy on Twitter

Going into Saturday’s game against West Ham United, Arsenal have five injuries, and four of them are to forward players.

Wingers Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli won’t be back until mid-March at the very earliest, and Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz are out for the season. Mikel Arteta’s options across the team’s front three are as limited as they’ve ever been during his tenure.

Against Leicester City, Arteta managed to muddle through with his senior players, with Raheem Sterling, Leandro Trossard, and Ethan Nwaneri starting the game and Mikel Merino coming off the bench as a striker.

But Arteta has admitted he might have to turn to the academy at certain points over the coming weeks.

Photo via Le African Gooner on Twitter

“We have some other (youth) players training with us now lately,” Arteta said. “They’ve been in our system for a while but they’ve been very close and obviously we might have to use them. They look ready as well, which is a good thing.

“Yes for sure (it can be an opportunity), and it can be at any moment. I spoke to them about it so they are ready for it.”

One youngster who has trained with the first team in recent days is Andre Harriman-Annous, a talented forward who can play centrally or out wide.

Harriman-Annous has 14 goals this season, but he won’t be involved in Saturday’s game against West Ham, as he’s dropped back to start for the u18s in their midday kick-off.

Photo via Arsenal Academy on Twitter

The other potential first-team call-ups are less surprising. Nathan Butler-Oyedeji has been in the senior squad for most games recently, and he’ll likely keep his place on the bench. Butler-Oyedeji can play centrally or on the wings.

Winger Ismeal Kabia has also joined the first-team squad on eight occasions this season, making his debut from the bench in the League Cup match against Bolton Wanderers.

Kabia wasn’t involved with the u21s on Friday night, so he’s another in contention for Saturday’s first-team squad.

Arteta will likely stick with his senior options in the starting lineups for the coming games, but Butler-Oyedeji and Kabia will be waiting in the wings for any chances that might crop up.