Former Arsenal centre-back Martin Keown has admitted that he is pleased to see so many young defenders being given the opportunity to play in the Premier League this season.
Injuries at Manchester United have allowed Paddy McNair and Tyler Blackett to feature in the first team for Louis van Gaal's side, while Eric Dier and Andrew Robertson have been regular starters for Tottenham Hotspur and Hull City respectively.
Keown told the Daily Mail: "It's almost 29 years to the week since I made my Arsenal debut as a 19-year-old. That feels like a lifetime ago, but some things in football never change, everybody wants to see young players come through. The good news is that this season more managers are willing to give the kids a chance.
"So far 21 players aged 21 or under have made their Premier League debuts this campaign. More than half of those are defenders and that's unusual for a position that requires great maturity. But it does prove one thing, if you're good enough, you're old enough.
"This year Manchester United's Tyler Blackett and Paddy McNair, Eric Dier at Tottenham and Hull's Andrew Robertson, whose average age is just under 20, have each made a significant impact on his team. That is good to see."
McNair and Blackett started together in the United team that defeated Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium last month.
Simon Sinclair
