Arsenal u21s to face Manchester City in PL2 play-off

Arsenal u21s to face Manchester City in PL2 play-off

Arsenal under-21s now know the scale of their Premier League 2 play-off test, with a trip to Manchester City setting up another meeting with the side that ended last season’s run.

Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images

Arsenal under-21s will travel to Manchester City in the Premier League 2 play-offs after Max Porter’s side was drawn against one of the competition’s strongest teams at home.

City confirmed that their Elite Development Squad will host Arsenal in the round of 16 at the Joie Stadium on the weekend of Friday 24 April to Monday 27 April, with the precise date and kick-off time still to be announced.

Arsenal’s route into the play-off came via a 14th-place finish, after eight wins, five draws and seven defeats yielded 28 points.

Porter’s side had already secured a play-off place before a 1-0 win over West Brom on the final weekend kept alive hopes of a higher seeding, but the final table has now sent them back to Manchester for a repeat of last season’s meeting.

City finished third under Ben Wilkinson, with 13 wins, one draw and six defeats producing 40 points. Their home record was especially strong, with nine of those victories and their only draw coming on their own ground, extending their unbeaten PL2 run at the Joie Stadium to more than a year.