Arsenal forward Reiss Nelson explains decision to take first penalty in Community Shield win vs Liverpool

Reiss Nelson insists he couldn't pass up the opportunity to take a spot-kick in Arsenal's penalties victory over Liverpool after being denied the chance in 2017.

The 20-year-old calmly scored Arsenal's first penalty as they won back-to-back domestic titles at Wembley having beaten Chelsea in the FA Cup final just four weeks prior.

Though it was captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who sealed the victory with the winning penalty, manager Mikel Arteta after the game was clearly left impressed by Nelson, who he revealed demanded the ball in his hands.

Nelson made his first-team debut for Arsenal in their 2017 Community Shield triumph over Chelsea, where coincidently the north London club once again prevailed by winning a penalty shoot-out.

Aged just 17-years-old at the time, the youngster was overlooked by then manager Arsene Wenger, something Nelson simply would not allow to happen again.

“I really wanted to take a penalty [in 2017] but I think I was 17 at the time and the boss didn’t let me take it," he told the club's official website.

"So I said to myself if I ever get the opportunity to take one again then I’ll be the first one and I’ll be confident and just pick a spot and pick it.

“I got an opportunity, went to Mikel and said I’ll take it, then I was brave and he let me take it.

“It was a bit weird because the walk is so long, but as I got to the goal it seemed fairly big, so I thought let me just hit it, hit a spot and hope for the best.

"It went in! It’s a big confidence boost and to start a season like that is very big for all the young players. It’s amazing that we’ve got another trophy and now we need to keep it going throughout the season."

The forward faces significant competition for a place in the team, with an array of attacking depth at Arteta's disposal.

Nelson insists he will fight for a place in the Arsenal side, however.

“For me it’s about getting myself in the starting eleven," he said. "The boss has made a lot of changes and brought a lot of top players into the team and I feel like that can only help us.

"I want to fight for my position, be hungry and get a spot in that starting eleven."

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