SM
Plzen vs. Man United: 12 hrs 56 mins
Upcoming predictions and previews

Alexandre Lacazette ruled out until October

:Headline: Alexandre Lacazette ruled out until October: ID:371355: from db_amp
Emery has confidence in Arsenal's young players and will need them with Lacazette out injured

Arsenal will be without forward Alexandre Lacazette until October due to injury, but boss Unai Emery is more than happy to keep giving opportunities to the younger members of his squad.

Midfielder Joe Willock signed a new long-term contract with the Premier League club on Wednesday and he is one of many academy graduates to have featured under the Spaniard since he took charge last summer.

Forward Reiss Nelson, 19, is another to have earned a shot in the starting XI this season and Lacazette's ankle injury – revealed by the club after Emery's press conference – should present Nelson with more chances, starting with Sunday's clash at Watford.

"It's our philosophy and our idea to give them chances to be with us in training and taking confidence and playing minutes and if they achieve the performance we want, then continuing," Emery said, when asked about his young players.

"They can take experience being with us, training with us, playing with us and also helping them with our experienced players and sharing with those players our way."

He added: "Every player needs their first experience. For me it's training with us every day, giving them chances to show us first their spirit, then their wish and after their performance.

"We can analyse our pre-season, a lot of young players deserved to be with us and we can help them to be with us and take more minutes in the Premier League, cups and Europa League matches."

Emery confirmed club-record signing Nicolas Pepe should be available for the fixture at Vicarage Road, despite not going away with Ivory Coast on international duty.

Nicolas Pepe will hope to start for Arsenal at Watford (John Walton/PA).

The goalscoring onus will fall on the former Lille attacker and Real Madrid loanee Dani Cellebos – plus Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – with Lacazette sidelined until October.

On Pepe, Emery said: "We decided to keep him here with us and we were working with him to have him ready for Sunday and we think he will be.

"We need people to be patient with him and also help him to be comfortable, to know us, to know the opposition teams.

"Each training and each match is very important to be ready and to achieve their (Pepe and Cellebos) performance. I really think the progress is perfect."

Arsenal are likely to come up against ex-player Danny Welbeck on Sunday, who joined Watford in August on a free transfer after five seasons at the Emirates.

He was one of Javi Gracia's final signings at Vicarage Road before he was sacked last weekend following a poor run of form and replaced by Quique Sanchez Flores.

Emery added: "Danny's an amazing person and a very good player. He had that injury and he finished here and now he is at Watford and I wish him the best."

Welbeck was one of 10 first-teamers to leave Arsenal permanently this summer, although defender Shkodran Mustafi did not depart.

He was expected to leave before the European transfer window shut on September 2, but decided to stay with the Gunners and Emery insists he is now firmly part of his plans moving forward.

"Some players left and we didn't decide that option at the beginning. When they left it was because we decided we can continue in our way with different options. Mustafi decided to be here and when he decided to be here he's like another player," Emery said.

"I respect his decision. When he decided I spoke to him and said 'you're one more in the squad, I'm going to work with you as other players'.

"Since he decided to stay here he's working every day with a big motivation and good spirit."

amp_article__371355 : Database Data restored...  : 
last updated article - 2019-09-13 22:39:46:
html db last update - 2019-09-13 22:39:46 :

ex - 7200 : read : read cache amp html

Click here for more stories about Unai Emery

Click here for more stories about Arsenal

Share this article now:
Recommended Next on SM
Premier League Table
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool14112129111835
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1585229151429
4Manchester CityMan City158342721627
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest157441918125
6Aston Villa157442323025
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Brentford157263128323
10Fulham156542220223
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle155551921-220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton143561421-714
16Leicester CityLeicester153572130-914
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich151681427-139
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1523102338-159
20Southampton1512121131-205
Scroll for more - Tap for full version


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
AL
Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!

Loading ...

Failed to load data.



. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .