Arsenal warned not to put too much pressure on Charlie Patino after debut goal as Danny Mills gives advice to wonderkid

Arsenal have been warned not to put too much pressure on wonderkid Charlie Patino after he scored on his senior Gunners debut.

The 18-year-old came off the bench to net in the 5-1 victory over Sunderland as Mikel Arteta’s men reached the semi-final of the competition.

Arsenal saw Patino’s huge potential from a young age and paid Luton £10,000 to sign him for their academy when he was just 11.

Huge things are expected from Patino and the pressure may only intensify as he gave the Emirates faithful a glimmer of what may come in the future.

However, former Premier League player Danny Mills warned there is a lot of pressure on the shoulders of the youngster and did not want any more placed on him.

He told talkSPORT: “Great night for the young man. Something he will remember forever coming on here with a big crowd in.

“It’s absolutely fantastic, but people are saying he’s the greatest player they’ve ever seen walk through the doors at Arsenal’s academy. 

“That’s a lot of pressure. Just maybe manage it.

“Everyone is on him immediately looking for that outstanding performance and it is going to take him time and he’s got to grow into that.

“Sometimes we put all our hopes on players too young, too soon. That’s maybe unnecessary pressure he doesn’t need.”

Patino is the latest youngster off the Arsenal production line with Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka both currently starring in the first team.

They’re producing in front of goal, too, with Arsenal’s last 18 Premier League goals being either scored or assisted by a player under 23.

Mills said that the hard work starts now for their 18-year-old teammate if he wants to be a Premier League player.

He added: “Fantastic night for him. He’ll remember this to get on the pitch and the get a goal is absolutely superb.

“It will do his confidence the world of good. 

“People will also make comparisons and that type of thing, but he has to make sure he keeps his feet on the ground and work incredibly hard.

“There are a lot of players who break through, look very promising and then peater out very quickly. 

“I say to people week in, week out that there are only 250 English players in Premier League squads on a weekend out of the whole population of males available to play that.

“It’s such a small percentage. To make it as one of those players is still very difficult.

“He has a lot of talent but now must work really hard.”