Arsenal knew only a win would likely keep their faint Premier League title hopes alive after their defeat to West Ham last weekend.
Mikel Arteta provided an update on the fitness of Ethan Nwaneri and Riccardo Calafiori after Arsenal’s goalless draw with Nottingham Forest.
While the substitution did not go down well with many of the travelling fans, Arteta insisted that he had no choice but to make the change as he looks to keep the teenager fit as he takes on a much greater burden.
Arsenal have a welcome weekened off having been knocked out of the FA Cup but are back in action in midweek for the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with PSV Eindhoven.
‘I think so but again let’s see how they evolve in the next few weeks to make the right steps and then after that, they’ve been out for a long, long time, so we’re going to have to integrate them as well gradually,’ he said.
