Isaac Hayden has revealed that he could still be playing for Arsenal had a training-ground challenge with Mathieu Flamini not robbed him of his Premier League debut.
The 21-year-old - now starring for Championship leaders Newcastle - was told by Arsene Wenger that he was set to play at home to Hull City in October 2014.
A tackle from team-mate Flamini on the eve of the game resulted in an injury serious enough to sideline Hayden for eight months, not that he wanted to believe that at the time.
‘I tried to carry on and make it to the team hotel,’ he says, ‘but I rang the doctor at 5 o’clock and said, “I can’t even walk up the stairs here, I’m done”.