ARSENAL’S Under-21s kicked off the new season with a humbling 5-1 defat at the hands of Barnet.

Winger Tom Knowles scored a hat-trick for the side as they ran out comfortable winners in the EFL Trophy clash on Tuesday night.

New Arsenal U21 Head Coach David HorsemanDavid Horseman was placed in charge of Arsenal’s Under-21s this summer Credit: Getty

The match was David Horseman’s first game in charge of the Gunners’ U21s after he was given the job earlier this week.

A young side were no match for Barnet – who now sit top of Group F after and played out a draw in their opening game.

Illustration of three male football players, from left to right: Bruno Fernandes, Gabriel, and Erling Haaland.
  • Dream Team is back, free, and there’s £100,000 up for grabs!

Barnet were 3-1 up at half time thanks to goals from Bright Siaw, Jack Maskell and Knowles.

Archie Steven’s deflected cross pulled one back for the Gunners, but Knowles completed his hat-trick after the break.

The match was the U21s first competitive game of the new campaign after playing just one friendly in pre-season.

The squad’s preparation was largely split across players representing the first team or the Under-18s.

Barnet manager Dean Brennan said: “They tried to go up the pitch and press us, and we went over that or around that press.

Friday 21 August
Arsenal
Epl-teamarsenal-1
20:00
Regular Season
Coventry-city-fc-logo
Coventry
Saturday 22 August
Hull
Epl-teamhull
12:30
Regular Season
Epl-teammanchester-united
Man Utd
Everton
Epl-teameverton
15:00
Regular Season
Epl-teamcrystal-palace
Palace
Ipswich
Epl-teamipswich
15:00
Regular Season
Epl-teamsunderland
Sunderland
Forest
Epl-teamnottingham-forest
15:00
Regular Season
Epl-teamleeds
Leeds
Brentford
Epl-teambrentford
17:30
Regular Season
Epl-teamtottenham
Spurs
No results yet
English Premier League P W D L GD Pts
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
0
0
0
0
0
0
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
0
0
0
0
0
0
8
0
0
0
0
0
0

“But it was all about their phases. They want phases, they want to overload you on the far side of the pitch and they want to come back inside, and switch it from one side to the other.

“Then when they do that they get an underlap from there. They have dribbling ability – the lad on the right had electric pace.

“But I thought we handled it particularly well, and we should have really won by more.

“For all our lads, they are going up against a Cat 1 academy. It is amazing for them.

“There is insane investment at that level – and we have no real investment in our academy.

“We are spit and sawdust. We are hard working. We are honest. I think the kids are coached well.”