Nigerian teenagers miss out on Chelsea vs Arsenal English Premier League clash

THREE teenagers of Nigerian descent will not take to the pitch today when Chelsea square up with English Premier league leaders Arsenal in a crunch game at Stamford Bridge this afternoon.

Arsenal are the surprise package of the Premier League this season with 10 wins from 12 matches and will go back to the top of the table if they win today. Exciting winger Joel Ideho, 19 and central defender Zach Awe, 18, both trained with the Gunners first team in their final workout yesterday but have been excluded from the squad by manager Mikel Arteta.

Going with an experienced squad, Arteta has selected Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli as his starting wingers with Reiss Nelson named on the substitutes bench, while William Saliba and Gabriel start in central defence.  It would have been Ideho's first ever squad involvement for a competitive game if he was named in the match day squad, while Awe has not received a call up for a first team game since he was a non-playing substitute at Wolverhampton Wanderers back in February.

Meanwhile, England U20 international of Nigerian descent Carney Chukwuemeka, will miss his third consecutive game for Chelsea. Chukwuemeka, 19, has been omitted from the Blues match day squad due to a hamstring issue.

Chelsea Starting XI: Mendy; Azpilicueta, Chalobah, Silva, Cucurella; Loftus-Cheek, Jorginho, Mount; Sterling, Havertz, Aubameyang

Subs: Bettinelli; Koulibaly; Gallagher; Hall; Kovacic; Zakaria; Pulisic; Ziyech; Broja

Arsenal Starting XI: Ramsdale; White; Saliba; Gabriel; Zinchenko; Partey; Xhaka; Odegaard; Saka; Martinelli; Jesus

Subs: Turner; Holding; Cedric; Tierney; Lokonga; Elneny; Vieira; Nelson; Nketiah