

Football Digest: Fulham boss hails Arsenal youngsters

Stay focused: Arteta doesn't want his squad to lose sight of their Premier League potential

■ MIKEL ARTETA has warned his Arsenal players against making the ‘big mistake’ of focusing solely on the Europa League, with their Premier League season still salvageable.

The Gunners are in a European semi-final, leaving Arteta delighted — but demanding that those standards are met more consistently.

Arsenal face Fulham today and still have faint hopes of qualifying for Europe via the Premier League.

‘It would be a big mistake,’ he said. ‘I love that phrase (putting all your eggs in one basket). My dad has always told me that since I was 15 years old.

‘We cannot do that. The league is really important. There have been a lot of changes in recent weeks in the table and we want to be involved until the last match.

‘The way to do that is to put a run together from now until the end of the season.’

■ FULHAM boss Scott Parker has hailed the impact Arsenal youngsters Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe have made this campaign.

‘What young players bring is an energy and a real freedom,’ he said. ‘But there’s a fine balance when you are where we are in the league.’

Parker has called on his young squad to show their mettle in the face of adversity.

‘I want energy, resilience and excitement to go and play football,’ he added. ‘Go and showcase your quality, and we can give anyone a game.’

■ CHLOE KELLY scored a hat-trick as holders Manchester City marched into the fifth round of the Women’s FA Cup with an 8-0 demolition of Aston Villa.

Ellen White, Janine Beckie, Georgia Stanway, Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis were also on target as City bettered the seven they put past Villa in the WSL in January.

■ A smoke bomb was set off inside Kenilworth Road while Luton Town and Watford players observed a minute’s silence in memory of the Duke of Edinburgh.

Football League games were moved from their traditional 3pm kick-off slot due to Prince Philip’s funeral taking place at the same time yesterday after his death last week.

As Luton and Watford players stood around the centre circle for a minute’s silence before the 12.30pm start, a smoke bomb was let off inside the ground close to the executive boxes and seating. No players were near to the device when it exploded to reveal red smoke, but an image of it could be seen on a picture taken by Luton’s official Twitter account.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, all EFL matches continue to be played behind closed doors, but it did not stop a slight disruption ahead of the ‘M1 derby’ in the Championship, with a steward forced to dispose of the smoke bomb before play was able to get under way.