Arteta Highlights 15-year-old Pair As Arsenal Beat Milan

Mikel Arteta said nan performances of 15-year-olds Max Dowman and Marli Salmon were "incredible" arsenic Arsenal hit AC Milan 1-0 successful their opening pre-season crippled successful Singapore.

Summer signings Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga besides played their first lucifer for their caller nine successful beforehand of supporters.

Bukayo Saka scored nan only extremity pinch a close-range decorativeness from Jakub Kiwior's fantabulous coiled cross.

The Gunners dominated for nan mostly of nan match, pinch Ben White and Saka linking up good down Arsenal's correct side.

Ethan Nwaneri - playing successful cardinal midfield - produced 2 standout moments of skill, 1 of which resulted successful a changeable from nan separator of nan area that went narrowly wide.

Manager Arteta handed immoderate crippled clip to nan 2 15-year-olds successful nan squad - guardant Dowman and defender Salmon.

"It's very good," said Arteta astir nan youngsters connected show. "There is simply a batch of activity successful our academy of nan coaches, group progressive and it is simply a infinitesimal to springiness opportunities and reward them.

"They surely took their chance coming successful difficult circumstances against a very large team. Incredible really astatine 15 years aged they tin execute astatine that level."

It was agreed location would beryllium a punishment shootout sloppy of nan consequence of nan lucifer and AC Milan won that 6-5.

Zubimendi, Mikel Merino, Dowman, Leandro Trossard and Josh Nichols scored their spot-kicks but Martin Odegaard, Reiss Nelson, Kiwior and Salmon missed theirs.

Arsenal supporters are apt to beryllium excited by truthful galore academy graduates being included connected nan circuit and Myles Lewis-Skelly, chap 18-year-old Nichols and 15-year-olds Dowman and Salmon vanished nan crippled connected nan transportation together.

With Saka, Nwaneri and Nelson each playing a part, it intends that Arsenal had 7 academy graduates characteristic successful total.

"Very happy pinch each nan kids," added Arteta. "I deliberation they are capable to play astatine that level astatine 15 years aged successful my sentiment because of nan situation and civilization that is wrong nan team.

"When personification makes you consciousness truthful comfortable and truthful assured straightaway, you tin spell and do it. At slightest it gives you nan champion chance and past you person to person nan qualities this kid has to present against guidance for illustration this."

There has been a batch of excitement astir Dowman, pinch Arteta referencing his talent connected a number of occasions past season, and nan youngster stepped up to people his punishment successful nan shootout.

"They are successful and astir nan squad perpetually and they are getting utilized to nan dynamics and nan demands," said Arteta.

"They are getting location and that gives them a bully level and they will person to gain it."

Arsenal person spent £128m truthful acold this summertime to bring successful Zubimendi, Norgaard and Kepa, arsenic good arsenic Noni Madueke - pinch Cristhian Mosquera and Viktor Gyokeres expected to follow.

Madueke has been fixed 2 weeks disconnected to remainder aft his information successful nan Club World Cup pinch Chelsea, but this was nan first clip supporters had a look astatine really Arteta whitethorn usage his different caller signings.

Norgaard was nan only summertime signing to commencement nan lucifer and began successful his favoured deep-lying midfield role.

The Denmark world was coagulated successful his positioning and provided a guidelines to let his chap midfielders Declan Rice and Nwaneri to get forward.

Zubimendi, a £60m signing from Real Sociedad, came connected arsenic a half-time substitute and instantly began to dictate nan tempo of Arsenal's play.

He has a much expansive passing scope than Norgaard and showed immoderate of his repertoire, but successful nan power and pinch galore changes successful personnel, nan crippled mislaid its flow.

Goalkeeper Kepa, signed from Chelsea, was not tested during nan 90 minutes but successful nan shootout saved 3 of Milan's penalties.