Nelson eye-catching, £34m ace flops in front of Arteta assistant for Arsenal U21s

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal first-team duo Reiss Nelson and Fabio Vieira were named in the starting XI for the under-21 side last night, but were on the wrong side of a 5-2 thrashing.

The under-21s were facing League One side Reading in the EFL Trophy, and both first-teamers, who remained at the club during the international break, were selected to help them build fitness.

Both players have featured sporadically throughout the campaign, and whilst both have had promising moments, they are yet to find consistency, and a red card for Vieira against Burnley means his opportunities will be further limited going forward.

Vieira and Nelson feature in under-21 defeat

The two 23-year-olds featured as over-age players, and things were looking bright when Vieira pulled a goal back from the penalty spot in the first half.

The pair could not prevent the side from falling to a heavy defeat, but with qualification already secured, the main focus was on what the pair could contribute with rare starts.

Nelson also contributed to a goal as he produced an incredible assist for Khayon Edwards to score in the second half, with his speed and dribbling skills on full display as he beat a number of players to dart into the box and square the ball for a tap-in.

Nelson then won another penalty with yet more strong dribbling, but Vieira saw his second spot kick of the night saved.

Vieira and Nelson’s contrasting nights

Whilst Nelson’s magnificent display will have earned him a lot of credit, as he was watched by Mikel Arteta’s assistant Albert Stuivenberg, Vieira’s mixed night may not have gone down well.

After a bright start this season, the £34m signing has received criticism for failing to impose himself on games, and his red card has meant he will be absent for the next three games.

A strong performance will have given him confidence, but his missed penalty and the fact that he did not do much in terms of overall influence on the game, meant that little was achieved in convincing Stuivenberg that he should be given more chances when he returns from suspension.