Jack Wilshere makes first Arsenal appearance in 14 months

 

Jack Wilshere made his return from a 14-month injury lay-off by playing over an hour for Arsenal's under-21 side against West Brom.

The England midfielder, 20, missed all of last season because of ankle, foot and heel injuries.

Jack Wilshere factfile

  • Born on 1 January 1992
  • Joined Arsenal in October 2001
  • Made senior debut against Blackburn as a substitute in a 4-0 victory
  • Scored first Arsenal goal versus Sheffield United in a Carling Cup tie
  • Spent second half of 2009-2010 season on loan at Bolton
  • Makes England debut versus Hungary in August 2010
  • Arsenal's most-used player in 2010-2011 season

He took a significant step towards recovery with an encouraging display against the Baggies.

There was more good news for Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger as Emmanuel Frimpong played 70 minutes.

The midfielder is working his way back to full fitness after being sidelined for seven months with a knee injury.

Both Wilshere and Frimpong are likely to step up their recovery in the under-21s game against Reading next Monday.

Wilshere's last Arsenal appearance was in a pre-season friendly against New York Red Bulls last year, when he suffered an ankle injury.

He encountered complications in his rehabilitation and then suffered a knee problem that required surgery last April.

While lacking sharpness, Wilshere looked lively against West Brom before he was withdrawn in the 63rd minute.

West Brom won the game 1-0 with Yassine El Ghanassy scoring the winner in the 40th minute.