By Isaac Mission
Arsenal have included academy defenders Jaden Dixon and Josh Tahou in first-team training as preparations continue for their upcoming Premier League meeting with Sunderland.
Dixon, 19, and 17-year-old Tahou were both involved in the senior squad's training session, giving the young defenders valuable exposure to Mikel Arteta's first-team setup.
The pair were not the only academy players involved, with Max Dowman and Marli Salmon also taking part in the session.
Academy youngsters pushing for first-team opportunities
Arsenal's decision to involve several young players comes as the club prepares for a busy schedule involving both the senior and Under-21 sides.
Dowman and Salmon could face another decision over their availability, with the club expected to determine whether they will remain with the senior squad or return to the U21 team.
The situation highlights the opportunities available to Arsenal's academy prospects as they continue to develop within the club's system.
Busy day ahead for Arsenal
The U21 side are scheduled to face Chelsea at Meadow Park at 2pm, while the senior team will travel to face Sunderland six hours later.
That scheduling means Arsenal's coaching staff must carefully manage the academy players who have been training with the first team.
For Dixon and Tahou, the experience of working alongside Arsenal's senior players could prove particularly useful as they continue their progression.
Whether either defender makes the matchday squad against Sunderland remains to be seen, but their involvement in first-team training represents another step in their development.
Arsenal's continued willingness to expose academy players to senior-level football also underlines the pathway available to youngsters hoping to eventually establish themselves in the first team.
