Injury hit Leeds United name 15-year-old Gray on bench for Arsenal clash

Leeds United named a 15-year-old on their bench as Marcelo Bielsa’s injury hit side prepared to take on Arsenal in Saturday’s only Premier League fixture.

With Aston Villa’s clash with Burnley being called off earlier in the day, the meeting between the Gunners and Leeds at Elland Road was the only match to go ahead amid a raft of COVID-19-enforced protocols. 

Leeds, however, are suffering an injury crisis, and Bielsa was once again forced to turn to the team’s youngsters.

With Luke Ayling starting at centre-back alongside the returning Robin Koch, 20-year-old Cody Drameh was handed a first Premier League start at right-back, while Joe Gelhardt, who scored against Chelsea last week, was named as the forward.

However, Bielsa has very little experience on the bench, with all nine of the substitutes aged 21 or under.

Robin Koch returns, a first Premier League start for Cody Drameh, whilst Joe Gelhardt starts up front pic.twitter.com/fBLcMTZfPR

— Leeds United (@LUFC) December 18, 2021

Those included 15-year-old Archie Gray, the son of former Leeds player Andy Gray, who is the nephew of Leeds legend Frank Gray. Should he come on, Gray will become the Premier League’s youngest-ever player.

Arsenal, meanwhile, were able to name an unchanged team to the side that beat West Ham in midweek, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang again left out, as Mikel Arteta confirmed he would be in his pre-match news conference.

However, the Gunners did confirm midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga had tested positive for coronavirus.

Premier League clubs are set to meet on Monday to discuss how best to proceed amid the rising cases of the virus in the United Kingdom, attributed to the Omicron variant.