• Youngsters shone in Europa League win in Prague
  • ‘We have to change that reality’ says manager

Mikel Arteta accepts Arsenal must curb their reliance on Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe if they are to sustain any success, admitting he could not have imagined the pair would become so pivotal to their fortunes by now.

The two academy products were superb in Arsenal’s 4-0 win at Slavia Prague on Thursday, Saka scoring an excellent goal and Smith Rowe creating Nicolas Pépé’s opener and having a strike ruled out. Statistics suggest that, should they retain their places in Arteta’s XI when Fulham visit on Sunday, Arsenal will have a far greater chance of a third straight win. They have taken 22 points from the 10 league games in which both players have started this season, and only 23 from the 21 occasions that has not been the case.

Related: Lacazette sinks Slavia Prague to send rampant Arsenal into semi-finals

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