Cazorla headlines Arsenal quartet to play in Under-21 playoff match

Spare a thought for Blackburn Rovers' under-21 side Tuesday night when it faces an Arsenal squad littered with Premier League players in a playoff fixture.

Santi Cazorla, who's been sidelined since December with a knee injury, will start alongside Calum Chambers, Tomas Rosicky, and Serge Gnabry.

With Arsenal's under-21 side looking for a promotion to Division One after disappointing defeats to Swansea City and West Brom, Steve Gatting's side will be bolstered by the senior-team quartet.

Like Cazorla, Rosicky's season with Arsenal has been hampered by long-term injuries. Chambers, 21, has been on the fringes of the club's squad all season, making just 12 league appearances (10 as a sub). Gnabry, 20, made just one appearance for West Brom off the bench during a wasteful loan move for the German youth international.

Arsenal must beat Blackburn on Tuesday and hope to advance from a playoff final to book a spot in the under-21 league's top tier. The division allows clubs to use three players aged 21 or over, with most sides treating it as an opportunity to help injured first-team members return to form.

The Under-21 Premier League replaced the Reserve League at the start of the 2012-13 season, with the goal of enhancing development and assisting players with the transition between the academy and first team.