Video: Arsenal star stamps first-team claim with volley against Spurs

Arsenal beat Tottenham Hotspur in the Under-23 development league, thanks to a Mathieu Debuchy opener.

The Gunners Under-23 side have not been doing all that well so far this season, but today’s win was their second in a row, and that helped them to climb to within seven points of the top of the table.

Arsenal will have Mathieu Debuchy to thank for the win, having scored the attached volley inside the final 25 minutes of the game. Our youth side did manage to kill the game off in injury time thanks to a penalty, which Stephy Mavididi slotted away.

Take a bow, @MatDebuchy 👏#AFCU23 pic.twitter.com/cUACQMqo0D

— Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 18, 2016

The right-back may well be able to stake a claim for a place in the Gunners first-team squad, due to the injury sustained by Hector Bellerin, with Carl Jenkinson the only other option for the role at present.

Debuchy joined from Newcastle in the summer of 2013 and was expected to hold down a regular first-team role, but following a season-ending injury around November-December, Hector Bellerin was promoted from the youth side and has been enigmatic ever since.

The 31 year-old could now get the chance to to stake a claim in the Spaniard’s absence, and should he impress, he may well be able to challenge Hector once he returns from injury.

Bellerin is expected to miss the next four weeks of action having been sent back from international duty with Spain’s Under-21 side with an ankle injury.

Could Jenkinson or Debuchy give Hector a serious challenge for first-team football? Could the Frenchman’s goal help him to put pressure on Carl for next week’s match?

Pat J