Jack Wilshere has taken a big step towards a first-team return for Arsenal by playing more than an hour of Friday night's Under-21s fixture against Newcastle United.
The 24-year-old has not featured for the Gunners' senior side this term after picking up a troublesome ankle injury last summer, leaving him as a major doubt for England's Euro 2016 campaign.
A positive showing at the Emirates Stadium has lifted the midfielder back into contention for both club and country, however, as he helped the U21s - which also contained Tomas Rosicky and Serge Gnabry from the off - race into a 2-0 lead eight minutes in.
Rosicky was among those to depart at the break but Wilshere remained on until the 64-minute mark when he was eventually replaced by Josh Dasilva, with Arsenal 3-1 up against the Magpies at that point.
Speaking to Arsenal TV after the game, Wilshere said: "It felt really good to be back out there playing at the Emirates.
"I'm not ready yet for the first team but it's another step on the road to fitness. It felt good to play in a match, it's totally different to training.
"I want to to go to the Euros and to do that I have to get in the Arsenal team, so I have to show the Arsenal manager and the England manager what I can do."
Roy Hodgson is scheduled to announce his England squad for this summer's Euros on May 12, giving the midfielder a maximum of six club games to work his way back into contention.
Daniel Lewis
