Tommy Setford and Christian Norgaard have reacted to the player’s first appearance at the Emirates Stadium, with the goalkeeper coming on as a substitute against Wigan Athletic.
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Arsenal’s dominant 4-0 first-half performance against Wigan Athletic in Sunday’s FA Cup fourth-round tie made for a comfortable second 45 minutes, with Mikel Arteta taking the opportunity to introduce a couple of the club’s young players.
16-year-old academy product Marli Salmon came on in the 61st minute, before Tommy Setford was introduced in goal in the 87th minute. Both were making their first-ever appearances for the senior side at the Emirates Stadium, having only previously appeared in away games.
Midfielder Christian Norgaard was pleased with what he saw from both players, but he made a point to praise Setford in particular for his first senior minutes of the 2025/26 campaign.
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“I thought they did really well, both of them,” Norgaard told TNT Sports. “You know, we see them every day in training, how they compete at the same level as us.
“Marli [Salmon] has been having a little bit more games than Tommy [Setford], so I think I need to highlight Tommy today.
“I know it’s only five or six minutes, but it’s that one action from a free-kick where he’s just ready, and he catches the ball and makes everything easier for us. So well done to him, and hopefully many more games for him in the future for Arsenal.”
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Setford shared his own opinion of the appearance on Instagram, writing: “Worth every minute! Thank you, Arsenal ❤️”
Norgaard knows what it’s like to have to wait for chances, as we’re now in mid-February without the 31-year-old making a single Premier League start for Arsenal.
But the former Brentford man has been getting semi-regular opportunities in the other competitions, and he told ESPN: “There has been no frustrations on my side. It’s a privilege to be at Arsenal.”
Sunday was a night for Norgaard and Setford to enjoy the rewards for all their hard work behind the scenes, and they both took advantage.