'We had no room' - Arsenal coach defends decision not to play Nwaneri, two other teenagers in draw v PSV

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has defended his decision not to play Ethan Nwaneri and two other teenagers Lino Sousa and Reuell Walters during his side's UEFA Champions League clash against PSV Eindhoven at the Philips Stadion on Tuesday evening.

The game between PSV and the Gunners was a dead rubber in the sense that both teams had already qualified for the round of 16 as runner-up and group winner respectively without a ball being kicked.

PSV and Arsenal shared the spoils with Yorbe Vertessen's 50th minute goal canceling out Eddie Nketiah's effort late in the first half.

Arteta rung the changes against PSV, making eight changes to the side beaten by Aston Villa last weekend, but Nwaneri, Sousa and Walters failed to crack the starting lineup with the trio named among the substitutes.

The introduction of Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Jesus in the 89th minute ended any hopes of the three teenagers making their Champions League debut against the Dutch Eredivisie side.

Asked if the right chance did not come up to play the three youngsters across the course of the game, Arteta was quoted as saying by Arsenal's official website: "I don’t think it was the right context, making eight changes already to throw them in there against a team that hasn’t lost here almost in two years, I didn’t think it was the right moment and I went on to wait to see how the game developed, but it was too much for them and as well we have three little issues, we had to make the subs and then we had no room because we really wanted to play a game as well."

Nwaneri would have become the youngest Arsenal player in European competition had he featured against PSV and was also deprived of the chance to break Ansu Fati's record of being the youngest goalscorer in the Champions League. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

Photo Credit: arsenal.com

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