Arsenal reserves coach Terry Burton has insisted that Jack Wilshere will have "benefited" from his outing for the club's Under-21 side on Monday.
The 20-year-old played 63 minutes for the Gunners at West Bromwich Albion as he continues his recovery from knee and ankle injuries.
"What you can't duplicate in training is that match sharpness and players coming in at you, so he will have benefited from that in this match," Burton told reporters.
Wilshere has not played for Arsenal's first team in 14 months.