Arteta picked Nwaneri as extra outfield player in Arsenal's 3-0 win over Oxford United

England U17 international of Nigerian descent Ethan Nwaneri traveled with the Arsenal first team for their FA Cup clash against League One opponents Oxford United on Monday, January 9. 

Arsenal youth team guru Jeorge Bird has informed that the attacking midfielder was in the provisional squad as the extra outfield player but was omitted from the matchday squad. 

Nwaneri's number 83 shirt was pictured in the Gunners dressing room ahead of kickoff. 

Ben White, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Granit Xhaka, Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard, Emile Smith-Rowe, Marquinhos and Nathan Butler-Oyedeji were the eight outfield players manager Mikel Arteta named on the substitutes bench. 

Nwaneri would have been considered for the matchday squad if any of the players in the squad suffered an injury in the pre-match warm up.

The 15-year-old was on U18 duties this past weekend, playing for 65 minutes as Jack Wilshere's team claimed a 4-3 win over Norwich City in the U18 Premier League. 

Nwaneri has not received a call-up for a first team game since making his Premier League debut against Brentford on September 18, 2022.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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