Arteta highlights 15-year-old pair as Arsenal beat Milan

Mikel Arteta said the performances of 15-year-olds Max Dowman and Marli Salmon were “incredible” as Arsenal beat AC Milan 1-0 in their opening pre-season game in Singapore.

Summer signings Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga also played their first match for their new club in front of supporters.

Bukayo Saka scored the only goal with a close-range finish from Jakub Kiwior’s excellent curled cross.

The Gunners dominated for the majority of the match, with Ben White and Saka linking up well down Arsenal’s right side.

Ethan Nwaneri – playing in central midfield – produced two standout moments of skill, one of which resulted in a shot from the edge of the area that went narrowly wide.

Manager Arteta handed some game time to the two 15-year-olds in the squad – forward Dowman and defender Salmon.

“It’s very good,” said Arteta about the youngsters on show. “There is a lot of work in our academy of the coaches, people involved and it is a moment to give opportunities and reward them.

“They certainly took their chance today in difficult circumstances against a very big team. Incredible how at 15 years old they can perform at that level.”

It was agreed there would be a penalty shootout regardless of the result of the match and AC Milan won that 6-5.

Arsenal supporters are likely to be excited by so many academy graduates being included on the tour and Myles Lewis-Skelly, fellow 18-year-old Nichols and 15-year-olds Dowman and Salmon finished the game on the pitch together.

With Saka, Nwaneri and Nelson all playing a part, it means that Arsenal had seven academy graduates feature in total.

“Very happy with all the kids,” added Arteta. “I think they are able to play at that level at 15 years old in my opinion because of the environment and culture that is within the team.

“When somebody makes you feel so comfortable and so confident straightaway, you can go and do it. At least it gives you the best chance and then you have to have the qualities this kid has to deliver against opposition like this.”

There has been a lot of excitement around Dowman, with Arteta referencing his talent on a number of occasions last season, and the youngster stepped up to score his penalty in the shootout.

“They are in and around the team constantly and they are getting used to the dynamics and the demands,” said Arteta.

Arsenal have spent £128m so far this summer to bring in Zubimendi, Norgaard and Kepa, as well as Noni Madueke – with Cristhian Mosquera and Viktor Gyokeres expected to follow.

Madueke has been given two weeks off to rest after his participation in the Club World Cup with Chelsea, but this was the first time supporters had a look at how Arteta may use his other new signings.

Norgaard was the only summer signing to start the match and began in his favoured deep-lying midfield role.

The Denmark international was solid in his positioning and provided a base to allow his fellow midfielders Declan Rice and Nwaneri to get forward.

Zubimendi, a £60m signing from Real Sociedad, came on as a half-time substitute and immediately began to dictate the tempo of Arsenal’s play.

He has a more expansive passing range than Norgaard and showed some of his repertoire, but in the heat and with numerous changes in personnel, the game lost its flow.