Youngsters Start as Injuries Hit Arsenal

Arsenal remain top of the Premier League and are balancing league, cup and European commitments while managing a growing injury list. The club has begun integrating Hale End academy graduates into first-team action: 15-year-old Max Dowman started and 18-year-old Ethan Nwaneri scored in Carabao Cup action, with other youngsters being eased into senior roles. Mikel Arteta is rotating his squad for the cup and has confirmed plans to deploy summer signing Piero Hincapié, likely alongside Cristhian Mosquera, praising Hincapié’s intensity and versatility. William Saliba and Gabriel Martinelli have been ruled out of the Brighton cup tie pending further tests, and Declan Rice and Riccardo Calafiori remain under assessment. Noni Madueke is progressing toward full training but will be eased back cautiously. Defensively Arsenal have conceded just three goals and kept a string of clean sheets, but recent fitness concerns are shaping selection decisions.