“I don’t understand the logic behind it” - Danny Mills questions Mikel Arteta for handing Ethan Nwaneri Arsenal debut ahead of U-21 players

Former Manchester City defender Danny Mills has criticized Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta for handing Ethan Nwanderi his debut ahead of other Under-21 players.

Nwaneri became the youngest ever Premier League debutant in the Gunners' 3-0 win over Brentford on September 18.

There have been polarizing reactions to the debut and Mills believes Arteta's decision will leave Arsenal's Under-21 players feeling aggrieved.

He told talkSPORT:

"I don't understand the logic behind it or the thinking behind it. A gut feeling? I think he'd only made his Under-21 debut this season? So it's not like he's been regularly in that. He's obviously still at school."

Mills then pointed to the fact that the players currently in the Under-21 setup may feel disappointed to have seen a 15-year-old picked ahead of them:

"Arsenal Under-21's a good academy, a good setup. Second in the table now and playing well. How do those midfielders feel? That have been playing well for the 21's? A lad three years younger than them gets an opportunity ahead of them? "

Arteta had explained that he had only seen Nwaneri in person a few days before the game against Brentford.

Mills alluded to this:

"Because the manager said 'well I only saw him a couple of days before.' So it's not like he's been in and around it for some time. 'I had a gut feeling'? Come on."

"15 years old does he have the mental capacity to deal with all that? What's he go and do next week? Go and play for the Under-16s? What sort of environment has that put him into. Suddenly now there's a lot of pressure on him."

Mills joins his talkSPORT colleague Jason Cundy in slamming Arteta for the decision.

The former Chelsea defender claimed that the Spaniard to had been feeding his own ego.

Arsenal teenager Nwaneri could become a Premier League sensation

Nwaneri's stock is rising despite the likes of Mills and Cundy being critical of his debut against Brentford.

He has become the most talked about teenager in English football off the back of his three-minute cameo against the Bees in which he didn't even touch the ball.

However, he has been lauded by scouts who saw his talent at the young age of just 12.

One told Sky Sports they were astounded by his talent when watching him, saying:

"He was from the Under 13s, playing in the age group above - even then he was one of the better players in that group. I picked out bits like his body language, his character and the way he reacted to the conditions. He scored in that game and has an eye for goal."