The Arsenal u18s have been eliminated from the u18 Premier League Cup after slumping to their first defeat in their final group game.
Despite winning their first two u18 Premier League Cup games against Liverpool and Birmingham City, Arsenal went into their final group match against Crystal Palace with it all still to play for.
Three points clear of Palace, Arsenal knew that a win or a draw would guarantee finishing top of the group and progressing to the quarter-finals. But defeat meant risking either Palace or Liverpool overtaking them on the final day.
As long as Arsenal only lost by one goal, they’d still remain ahead of Palace on goal difference. But even that would create a risk that Liverpool could leapfrog both teams with a win over Birmingham City.
Only the top team in each group is guaranteed progression to the quarter-finals, with one runner-up also progressing from the seven groups.
With some teams in other groups still capable of finishing in the runner-up spot with seven points, six points would be unlikely to get Arsenal through.
In summary, Arsenal needed a result to have a realistic chance of progression, even if it were just a draw. But despite having home advantage, Arsenal struggled against Saturday’s visitors.
Just six minutes into the match, Jesse Derry scored a free-kick from 25 yards. Arsenal had some chances to equalise, primarily through Louis Zecevic-John, who hit the post. But Palace scored in the 75th minute to secure the win, gaining in goal difference to move into top spot.
Liverpool’s final game is still to be played, and a win against Birmingham would take them into second ahead of Arsenal. In Group D, a win for Everton in their final game would mean either they or West Ham finish as runners-up with seven points.
But all that is irrelevant, as Group B’s Leeds United are already in a runner-up spot with six points and +2 goal difference, one better than Arsenal’s with all their games played.
Even if every other result goes the right way, Leeds would progress ahead of the Gunners. So Arsenal’s participation in the competition is at an end.
Arsenal u18 lineup vs Crystal Palace
Ranson, Salmon, Onyekachukwu, Sweet, Ismail, Ibrahim, Copley, Casey, O’Neill, Bailey-Joseph, Zecevic-John
Substitutes
Chapman (for Ismail, 46), Oyetunde (for O’Neill, 66), Murisa (for Zecevic-John, 76), Talbot, Marciniak
What’s next?
Arsenal return to the u18 Premier League with a match against Fulham on Saturday, but before that, many members of the team will play for the u19s in the UEFA Youth League against Sporting CP on Tuesday.
That’s another vital match, with Arsenal languishing towards the bottom of the Youth League table with one win in four. Another defeat would likely spell the end for their chances of progression, and Sporting have won three and drawn one so far.
