The fixtures for the upcoming U21 Premier League campaign were announced on Wednesday afternoon, with Arsenal discovering who they will face as they look to attain promotion to the first division after just missing out last term.
The Gunners start with a home tie with relegated Fulham on August 14, followed by visits from Derby County and West Ham respectively. The 22 game season will get underway at the Emirates Stadium, a ground the under-21 squad have become accustomed to in recent years.
This equates to a demanding opening to the campaign for the Arsenal youngsters, facing two sides relegated from the first division of under-21 football before facing a Derby team that finished one point off the promotion spots and one place above their North London counterparts last season.
The Gunners entertain promotion hopefuls West Brom in late October before a relatively easy run-in sees five of the bottom half on the agenda alongside newly promoted Swansea City before a pivotal trip to Derby in the final match.
New season, new faces for Arsenal’s under-21 side
Steve Gatting's men just missed out on promotion last time out, courtesy of some inconsistent form heading into April. Vital encounters with champions Middlesbrough and second placed Reading ended in disappointing and, in the case of the latter, frustrating defeats.
The club’s second year with Andries Jonker as Head of youth Development looks to be a more prosperous one, with a host of new signings and first team experience for some individuals as Arsene Wenger takes a host of his young Gunners on Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Singapore.
Gedion Zelalem, Alex Iwobi, Chuba Akpom, and Dan Crowley were all invited to take part in the Barclays Asia Trophy this month. The foursome harbour experience at U21 level in abundance, all expected to make a severe impact with the first team in the coming years. The experience of traveling to Asia, like so many youngsters have done before them, will only do them good as they look to increase match sharpness and impress Arsene Wenger.
Chris Willock and newboy Jeff Reine-Adelaide have also traveled with the squad, the former has been coveted by the likes of Barcelona over the summer after an impressive season for the under-18 side but will look to further his development at Arsenal next season. Wilcock looks set to break into the under-21 team whilst featuring heavily in the FA Youth Cup in the coming year.
His brother Joseph is one of many first year scholars signed up this summer alongside Jordi Osei-Tutu, Yassin Fortune and Vlad Dragomir, who have all transferred from Reading, Lens and ACS Poli Timisoara respectively.
The full fixture list is as follows:
- Arsenal U21 - Fulham U21
- Arsenal U21 - Derby County U21
- Arsenal U21 - West Ham United U21
- Newcastle United U21 - Arsenal U21
- Wolverhampton Wanderers U21 - Arsenal U21
- Arsenal U21 - Blackburn Rovers U21
- Swansea City U21 - Arsenal U21
- Arsenal U21 - West Brom U21
- Arsenal U21 - Stoke City U21
- Brighton U21 - Arsenal U21
- Fulham U21 - Arsenal U21
- West Ham United U21 - Arsenal U21
- Arsenal U21 - Aston Villa U21
- West Brom U21 - Arsenal U21
- Arsenal U21 - Swansea City U21
- Stoke City U21 - Arsenal U21
- Arsenal U21 vs Brighton U21
- Blackburn Rovers U21 - Arsenal U21
- Arsenal U21 - Newcastle United U21
- Aston Villa U21 - Arsenal U21
- Arsenal U21 vs Wolverhampton Wanderers U21
- Derby County U21 - Arsenal U21
