No wonder coaching Arsenal’s Under-18s has reignited Jack Wilshere’s love of football.
The young Gunners are into the final of the FA Youth Cup for the first time since 2018 after beating Manchester City at the Emirates Stadium. On the evidence of this win, the future is bright and plenty of players here showed why there is so much hype around them.
Arsenal are now one step away from winning the competition for the first time since 2009, when Wilshere was in the team, and they will meet either Southampton or West Ham in the final at the end of this month.
They booked their place with a 2-1 victory over City after extra time, with Myles Lewis-Skelly’s winner coming with almost the last touch of the game. Long before that, the Gunners had taken the lead in the eighth minute when Michal Rosiak struck.
It proved be a decisive moment in the match as City had right-back Lakyle Samuel sent off for bringing down Omari Benjamin. They were punished by Rosiak’s brilliant curling free-kick into the top corner and it was the start of an excellent performance from the right-back.
The biggest compliment you could pay him is that at times it was like watching Ben White, with Rosiak tucking in and getting on the ball. Ahead of him, Amario Cozier-Duberry showed why Wilshere has compared him to Bukayo Saka.
The winger sparkled at moments, skipping past players for fun, and the similarities to Saka were clear. If he is able to bulk up, the future looks so bright for him.
The same can be said of Ethan Nwaneri, who only turned 16 at the end of last month. Nwaneri made his debut for Arsenal at senior level as a 15-year-old playing in midfield, but he was up front on Tuesday.
He was dangerous and at one moment in the first half weaved his way past four players in the box, only to see his shot blocked. It was Lewis-Skelly who was the pick of the bunch, though, and the hero for Arsenal on a special night.
Aside from his goal, he caught the eye thanks to his fancy footwork. On more than one occasion he somehow found a way to wriggle out of tight spaces, relieving pressure for Arsenal and getting them up the pitch.
Defensively he was just as impressive, breaking up play, and he did it all with an effortless nature that was summed up by his socks being down by his ankles.
After Justin Oboavwoduo had struck for City to send the game into extra time, the Gunners needed someone to make the difference. And it was Lewis-Skelly who stepped up to the plate with seconds remaining. Captain Bradley Ibrahim dinked a ball into the box and Lewis-Skelly rose high to head home.
The Arsenal bench unloaded and sprinted onto the pitch, mobbing the goalscorer on a night he’ll never forget.
