Danny Welbeck starts for Arsenal's U23s

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Arsenal Under 23s lost 2-1 to Leicester Under 23s at Holmes Park on Sunday
English froward Danny Welbeck was a surprise starter for the academy side
The senior team face Sutton in the FA Cup fifth round on Monday evening
Welbeck has started just one game since returning from injury in January

Published: 07:09 EDT, 19 February 2017 | Updated: 10:13 EDT, 19 February 2017

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Danny Welbeck's wait for an Arsenal first team start looks set to continue for another week after the forward played 70 minutes for the club's Under 23 XI on Sunday afternoon.

The academy side lost 2-1 to Leicester's Under 23 side at Holmes Park on Sunday whilst the first team take on Sutton in the FA Cup fifth round on Monday night.

'Glad to get 70 minutes today to build up my match fitness,' Welbeck wrote on Twitter following the game. 'Plastic pitch at Sutton isn't the best idea at the moment.'

Danny Welbeck played 70 minutes for Arsenal as he continued to work on his fitness

The former Manchester United striker goes up for a header alongside Josh Knight

Welbeck warms up ahead of Arsenal's Under 23 clash with Leicester City

Welbeck's wait for an Arsenal first team start looks set to continue for another week

Welbeck returned to action in January after eight months out due to the knee injury but has started just one game for the Gunners since then.

The Englishman scored twice in a 5-0 win over Southampton on that outing but has remained behind Alex Iwobi in the Premier League pecking order, something which Arsenal fans have been quick to question.

The North London outfit have collapsed in recent weeks and Welbeck's likely exclusion will be a major talking point should there be another poor display at Sutton.

Under-fire manager Arsene Wenger opened the door to extending his tenure at the club amid reports he was set leave come the end of the season.

'Maybe more, maybe less,' said Wenger, when asked about the possibility of four more years. 'I don't know.

'Everybody is different on that front and I do not want to take anything away from Alex Ferguson, he was an absolutely unbelievable manager but he'd had enough. I'm not at that stage.'

Ferguson retired at the age of 71, Wenger is currently 67.

#AFCU23 team to face @LCFC: Keto, Johnson, Olowu, Sheaf, Bramall, Nelson, Dasilva, Malen, Dragomir, C Willock, Welbeck pic.twitter.com/9Rb8r2eGkB
— Arsenal FC (@Arsenal) February 19, 2017