Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says Tuesday night’s Champions League dead rubber against PSV Eindhoven was not the “right context” to blood young players.
Academy trio Ethan Nwaneri, Lino Sousa and Reuell Walters were all part of the matchday squad in the Netherlands but remained unused substitutes.
Sousa and Walters were both hoping to make their senior debuts for the Gunners, while Nwaneri could have become the youngest Arsenal player ever to feature in Europe.
Arteta spoke about his desire to blood young talent during his pre-match press conference on Monday, but explained after Tuesday's 1-1 draw that this was not the right moment.
The Spaniard made five changes in the final 30 minutes but brought on first-team players Ben White, Declan Rice, Emile Smith Rowe, Gabriel Jesus and Martin Odegaard.
Arteta explained that he was wary about throwing young players into a game against a PSV team who have won all 15 of their league matches this season, while he was also apprehensive about making subs when Aaron Ramsdale and Eddie Nketiah were both carrying knocks.
“I don’t think it was the right context,” said Arteta. "Making eight changes already, to throw them in there against a team that hasn’t lost at home in nearly two years, I didn’t think it was the right moment.
“I wanted to see how the game developed, but it was too much I think for them and as well we had three little issues, and we had to play the subs, and we had no room because we really wanted to play Emile as well.
“We wanted to play Emile a little earlier but we waited as we had two players with niggles and we asked them if they could continue.
“I didn’t want to make the changes too early and then play the last six, seven eight minutes with 10 men. That is the reason.”
Mohamed Elneny made a rare start for Arsenal at the Philips Stadion, but lasted for just over an hour before suffering an apparent hamstring issue and being replaced by captain Odegaard.
Quizzed on the Egyptian's injury after the PSV game, Arteta said: "Yeah, we don’t know the extent of it but he’s done something."
