Arsenal injury curse strikes again as young prospect Jeff Reine-Adelaide limps out of Under-21s match and Steve Bould forced to train

Assistant manager Bould returned to the pitch to make up the numbers after injuries decimated the Arsenal squad

Jeff Reine-Adelaide in Arsenal training (Getty Images)

Arsenal's first-team squad photo on Thursday featured a young unknown face to many, but any hopes of seeing Jeff Reine-Adelaide anytime soon have been dashed after the Gunners' injury curse struck again.

The 17-year-old played for the Under-21’s side on Friday night against Newcastle, but he was forced off the pitch with injury and was seen limping his way to the dug-out with a negative look on his face.

Reine-Adelaide appeared for Arsenal in their successful Emirates Cup campaign in pre-season, and there was a fair level of optimism among the Gunners’ faithful that he could be the next big thing to come through the youth ranks.

However, an injury crisis at the club forced Arsene Wenger’s assistant manager Steve Bould to lace up his boots and roll back the years by taking part in training in to help out with the numbers.

Reine-Adelaide (right) sits alongside David Ospina and Gabriel Paulista (Getty Images)

Arsenal assistant manager Steve Bould in training (Getty Images)

Things didn’t get any better on Saturday as captain Per Mertesacker was a notable absentee from the Gunners’ line-up to take on Stoke, and with long-term injury fears over Danny Welbeck, Jack Wilshere and Tomas Rosicky, Wenger can barely afford to lose any more players from his first-team squad.