Images: Arsenal Train Ahead Of Aston Villa Clash, Hale End Stars Drafted In

Arsenal train ahead of Aston Villa test…

Mikel Arteta put the squad through their paces ahead of the big game at Villa Park against former manager Unai Emery’s Aston Villa.

The home side are in a rich vein of form on their patch, winning 14 games in a row dating back to February – when we beat them 4-2 thanks to two stoppage-time goals.

Following Takehiro Tomiyasu’s latest injury setback, Arteta is lacking options at the back in midfield with the likes of Fabio Vieira, Emile Smith Rowe and Thomas Partey also in the treatment room.

The injury crisis has resulted in the manager drafting some academy stars for training, with Reuell Walters and Lino Sousa training alongside the first team.

Sousa joined the club from West Brom and is a highly-rated left-back, while Walters has been around the senior squad for the past few years and has a big admirer in Arteta.

Walters was included in the squad for the trip to Luton and is expected to keep his place on the substitute bench.

It will be interesting to see what Arteta does next week for our final Champions League group stage game at PSV with our position as group winners secured.

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Fans hope the boss sees it as an opportunity to completely rest our important players and give some of our young players a chance to impress.

With numbers thin at the back and in midfield, perhaps one of the Hale End graduates will give us a positive surprise and prove they’re ready to contribute at the highest level.

Check out the images from training in the slideshow above.