Wayne Rooney sends warning to injured Arsenal duo after Mikel Arteta’s young guns smash seven past PSV

Wayne Rooney has warned Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli that getting back into Mikel Arteta‘s Arsenal team may prove harder than expected.

Both players are currently sidelined with hamstring injuries.

Saka has been out since December when he needed to undergo surgery, while Martinelli has not played since limping off during last month’s 2-0 defeat at Newcastle.

Martinelli is expected to return before Saka but neither is likely to be back in action until April.

Despite missing Saka and Martinelli – as well as Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, who are also both injured – Arsenal thrashed PSV Eindhoven 7-1 away from home in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 clash on Tuesday night.

Among the scorers was 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri, while another teenager, Myles Lewis-Skelly, 18, started the game at left back.

Wayne Rooney was at the Philips Stadium on Tuesday evening as a pundit for Prime Video

Ex-England captain Rooney was impressed by Arsenal’s youngsters and, speaking on Prime Video, he said of Saka and Martinelli: ‘They’ve got to get back in the team!

‘The young lads have come into the team and been fantastic. It’s all about momentum. When you have an injury and you’re out for a long period of time, you need to work their way back into the team.

‘Of course they’re top players and will have a big chance of getting back into the team. But if these lads keep doing what they’re doing and keep shining, It’s not going to be as easy as people think.’

Former Arsenal forward Theo Walcott added: ‘Ethan has learned a lot from Bukayo.

‘Bukayo, they’ve got to be careful with him. When you’ve been out for a long period of time it can take time to get back to the level you expect. They won’t want to push Bukayo that fast.’

Jurrien Timber, Mikel Merino, Leandro Trossard and Riccardo Calafiori were also among Arsenal’s scorers on Tuesday, with captain Martin Odegaard netting twice.

Bukayo Saka, pictured during a gym session last month, is currently recovering from an injury

Gabriel Martinelli is currently on the sidelines too, after injuring his hamstring on February 5

Theo Walcott believes Arsenal should be careful with Saka and avoid the urge to rush him back

PSV’s goal came from a Noa Lang penalty kick, given away by Thomas Partey.

The second leg will take place at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday next week.

Barring PSV pulling off the greatest comeback in Champions League history, the Gunners will progress to the quarter-finals for only the second time since 2010.

There, Arteta’s men will face either Real Madrid or Atletico.

Real beat Atletico 2-1 at the Bernabeu on Tuesday in the first leg of their round of 16 contest.