5 youngsters that are bound to lead Arsenal to glory

Arsenal is undergoing an impressive season so far. That said, their emphasis hasn't been on the cup games. However, whenever the Gunners do play outside of the Premier League, Unai Emery tends to deploy some young players.

This is good for the fans to witness because more often than not the youngsters prevail. This gives the fans excitement heading into the future. Emery is beginning to lay down his fundaments at the Emirates Stadium, so being a hit with the young players is key for him.

That said, there are some new faces in this list, as well as many who impressed under Arsene Wenger. In no particular order, let's kick off this list...

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#1 Ainsley Maitland-Niles (21 years old)

Ainsley Maitland-Niles shows real maturity for a player of his age.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles burst onto the scene during the final stages of Arsene Wenger's reign. Although he's been around the Arsenal ranks for many years, it was last season which saw him become a household name in North London.

He put in some terrific displays, particularly against Liverpool and Manchester United. This just goes to show how special he is because Arsenal players haven't been known to perform on the big stage in the past. Maitland-Niles just adds a level of stability and composure to the tightly-compact Arsenal midfield.

There's some debate over what his best position is. If you're asking me, then I would say central midfield is where he flourishes the most. However, he is very versatile. He has filled the gap at full-back many times, including this season.

He picked up an injury at the start of the season in which he has only just recovered from. It was a setback, but he was never going to let it rule him out for long. He has looked impressive since coming back, so long may it continue.

The Englishman is key to Arsenal going forward. They've always had midfield problems, so it's important they keep him happy enough to have him stick around. There's no reason why he shouldn't do so, but his game-time may start to become an issue as time develops. Still, there's no reason why he can't make his way into the starting XI on a regular basis!

#2 Matteo Guendouzi (19 years old)

Matteo Guendouzi has been a revelation since his arrival from France.

When he signed from Lorient in the summer, I don't think anybody expected Matteo Guendouzi to hit the ground running quite as much as he has. It was an out of the ordinary signing, but in all honesty, it was one of the most productive in the English top flight.

Guendouzi got off to a flying start, in the two games which he wouldn't have expected to be starting. Against Manchester City and Chelsea, he was a real bright spark for the Gunners. They lost both games, but there were plenty of positives to take in Guendouzi.

He has refrained from the starting XI in recent matches, but that was to be expected. He is good but he's not up there with Lucas Torreira, so it's natural for him to play from the bench. Still, whenever he has played he's looked impressive, and his goal against Qarabag in the Europa League was no coincidence.

#3 Emile Smith Rowe (18 years old)

Emile Smith Rowe is beginning to turn into a fan favourite at Arsenal.

Emile Smith Rowe has been scoring and assisting goals for fun in the youth team, so it was no surprise to see him earn some game time in pre-season. It was in pre-season which he made a name for himself, and since then, he's been enjoying some time in and around the first team.

He's scored two goals for Arsenal this term, both at home and away from home. His first goal came against Qarabag FK in the Europa League and the second came against Blackpool in the Carabao Cup.

He shows no signs of frailty with the ball at his feet, which is rare for a player of his age. Ageing at 18, he's always looking to drive the side forward with his work on the ball, and it pays off more often than not. He has an element of creativity to his game, although he has the ability to score from a multitude of situations too.

#4 Reiss Nelson (18 years old)

Reiss Nelson is making the most of his Bundesliga loan.

Reiss Nelson may be on loan currently, but Arsenal fans mustn't forget about him. He's absolutely killing it in Germany, so much so the Hoffenheim faithful won't want to let him go. He's proving that English players can make it abroad but he'll be excited to transcend his form back on to English soil.

Reiss Nelson is a wide player, known for his silky footwork on the flanks. However, in Germany, he has shown the ability to cut inside and test the goalkeeper. It's this kind of versatility within his game which will make him attractive to Emery, and he may be the answer for Arsenal.

Currently, Arsenal doesn't have wide players with the ability to do a winger's job. They have Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubemayang deploying the flanks, but we all know they'd rather be playing centrally. It'll be interesting to see if Nelson can fill this void upon his return.

#5 Julio Pleguezuelo (21 years old)

Julio Pleguezuelo captains the Arsenal side in PL2.

I could have just as easily opted for Lucas Torreira or Alex Iwobi, but I decided I would cap the ageing at 21 years. Pleguezuelo has been around for a while, but only recently has he caught the eye of the Arsenal faithful.

It was in a league cup match which he excelled but if you watch him for the youth team, you will know all about his exploits. The Spanish defender clearly takes inspiration from his countryman Sergio Ramos, as he is also a no-nonsense defender. Whenever there is an opportunity to snatch the ball from the opposing attacker, Pleguezuelo will take it by whatever means necessary.

He has a leader's mentality, which could be pivotal to Arsenal heading forward. Some even say that he should be starting ahead of Shkodran Mustafi now, which wouldn't be a disastrous decision by any means.