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[Photos] 4 youngsters train with Arsenal first team ahead of Ostersunds trip

By on February 14, 2018

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Four of our young guns were invited to train with the first team ahead of Arsenal’s Europa League last-32 first leg with Ostersunds on Thursday evening.

Arsene Wenger has used the cup competitions to rest his key men so far this season with a number of fringe players and youngsters handed chances to impress in the Europa League group stages.

The boss is now being tipped to field his strongest eleven in the knockout stages as the Europa League is arguably the most important competition we have left to play for this season.

A top four finish in the Premier League looks highly unlikely following Sunday’s defeat to Tottenham so our best chance of getting back in the Champions League is to win the Europa.

The likes of Laurent Koscielny, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Hector Bellerin, Mesut Ozil and Nacho Monreal all trained at London Colney this afternoon and they’re expected to make the trip to Sweden ahead of tomorrow’s first leg.

However, Wenger also invited youngsters Reiss Nelson, Joe Willock, Eddie Nketiah and Konstantinos Mavropanos to train with the first team today but it remains to be seen whether they’ll be included in the travelling squad.

Nelson and Willock were regulars in the group stages so Wenger may take them to be on the bench while Nketiah is now our back-up striker in Europe after Alexandre Lacazette was ruled out for up to six weeks.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is ineligible so Danny Welbeck will lead the line up front against Ostersunds tomorrow with Nketiah offering support from the bench.

However, there was no sign of Aaron Ramsey in training today so the Welshman is set to once again miss out after being ruled out of the Tottenham game with a groin injury.

Here are some photos from today’s session courtesy of Arsenal’s Getty Images account:

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Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images

Embed from Getty Images