Arsenal under-18s started off the New Year with a bang as a superb display of attacking football saw them overpower Swansea at London Colney.
Yassin Fortune has impressed since his summer move from Lens, and his early goal gave Arsenal the perfect start. A short corner routine led to Reiss Nelson’s shot being tipped over the bar, but from the following corner, Fortune headed Nelson’s delivery back across goal and past the helpless Swansea goalkeeper Lewis Thomas.
Just six minutes later, the lead was doubled. After a fine free-flowing move from one end of the pitch to the other, Aaron Eyoma crossed into the centre where Nelson added to his growing reputation with a simple header into the net.
Eddie Nketiah had a shot saved by the legs of Thomas as Arsenal continued to create chances at their will against their outmatched opponents, and just after half-time they had a deserved third goal thanks to yet another header. Again it came from Aaron Eyoma’s cross in from the right-hand side, this time, Vlad Dragomir looping a header past Thomas.
Frontman Nketiah has been in fine form this season and scored a quick-fire double here to take his tally up to 11 league goals this season and put Arsenal 5-0 in front. First, Josh DaSilva dummied to shoot before slipping the ball through cleverly to Nketiah, who made no mistake with a clinical left-footed finish. Then, a neat move down the left-hand side involving Savvas Mourgos and Joe Willock eventually saw the latter play in a low cross which was tapped in by the lurking Nketiah to take him to joint-fifth highest goalscorer in the under-18 Premier League, still four goals behind the brilliantly named Leicester striker Admiral Muskwe.
There was still time for Swansea to score a pair of consolation goals as Arsenal eased off, as Keiran Evans’ shot from distance took a large deflection which deceived Hugo Keto before Jordan Jones managed to just about beat the ‘keeper after good build-up play in injury time.
The win leaves Arsenal just one point behind 3rd placed Aston Villa and 4th placed Leicester with two games in hand as they try and secure their place in the highest tier when the North and South divisions split later this year.
