Unai Emery will fulfill his ‘responsibility’ and play Arsenal's youngsters in competitive matches this season
Arsenal's young players impressed during their 2-1 win against Bayern Munich
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Your support makes all the difference.Unai Emery is ready to give Arsenal’s young players a chance to play in the Premier League after they have been impressing during their pre-season campaign.
Arsenal continued their winning start to pre-season and beat Bayern Munich 2-1 thanks to Eddie Nikitah’s late strike.
Fellow youngsters Tyreece John-Jules, Joe Willock and Ainsely Maitland-Niles also impressed during the match in California.
Following a goalless first half, Emery’s side struck first when Louis Poznanski diverted Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s cross into his own goal before Robert Lewandowski levelled the score with a fine header.
Bern Leno produced a fine save from Thomas Muller to keep the Gunners in the game as Mesut Ozil, sporting his new blonde hair, tested Manuel Neuer.
Arsenal ended the match with a youthful side and Nketiah’s 88th minute strike wrapped up the win.
With so many young players impressing against the German champions, Emery said it is important to give academy players chances in the first team.
“It was an important match for them, each match and each training to give us their performance and energy,” he said.
“We have a responsibility with young players to give them chances. We want to use different young players.
“They will be with us in pre-season and some with us in the season. Each can show a performance like today.
“It is Important to show against big players, like Nketiah v Sule, to show how they can respond in one v one situations with different opponents.”
Arsenal are close to completing a deal worth £27m to sign William Saliba, with the French defender returning to Saint-Etienne on loan for the season.
The 18-year-old was briefly caught between north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham for his future services, but Emery’s side appear to have won the race to sign the highly-rated defender.
Emery was also handed a boost on Rob Holding’s fitness as it emerged that he may be able to play in a friendly before the season starts as he continues his return from injury.
The defender has been out of action since December after a knee injury ruled him out of the remainder of the season and is now around one month ahead of schedule after undergoing intensive one-on-one training with a specialist coach as a key part of his rehabilitation.
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