Arsenal promote Nigerian teenager Ogunnaike to first team ahead of tonight's clash against Sporting

NIGERIA-eligible teenage defender Josh Ogunnaike has been promoted to Arsenal's first team by manager Mikel Arteta ahead of the club's Uefa Champions League clash with Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon tonight.

Feeling the pressure on numerous fronts as they face the prospect of ending the season without winning any trophy, Arsenal are desperate for a win tonight. They are hoping that victory in today's Champions League quarter final will dampen fears of their season ending woefully after their league pursuit got partially derailed last weekend following a 1-2 home loss to Bournemouth.

Ogunnaike, 18, is an attack-minded left-back, who has made significant progress this season, playing consistently for the Arsenal development squad. Manager Arteta has been monitoring the youngster who came through Arsenal's Hale End Academy and today allowed him to train with the senior team at the Sobha Realty Training Centre in London Colney.

So far this season, Ogunnaike has started three of the six games contested by the Gunners U19s in the Uefa Youth League, scoring one goal and providing an assist. Despite training with Arsenal's first team several times this season, Ogunnaike has yet to be named in an official matchday squad and is hoping to make the cut tonight.

With Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori both rated as doubtful for the visit of Sporting Lisbon, Ogunnaike remains hopeful. Neither Timber and Calafiori were not involved in Arsenal's 2-1 loss to Bournemouth last weekend and it is feared that they may not have recovered sufficiently to be risked tonight.

Ogunnaike joined the Gunners academy at the age of 13 and he is now in the second year of his scholarship. Arsenal head into tonight's clash at the Emirates Stadium in London with the aim of reaching back-to-back Champions League semi-finals, an accomplishment unprecedented in their history.