Hector Bellerin relishing pressure in fight to emerge as Arsenal's first-choice right-back

Hector Bellerin claims he is relishing the pressure of establishing himself as Arsenal’s first-choice right-back after his breakthrough season.

The 20-year-old took advantage of two lengthy injuries to Mathieu Debuchy last term to make 28 appearances, during which he acclimatised impressively to the demands of regular action at the highest level.

Bellerin has continued to keep the fit-again Debuchy out of the team — starting seven of Arsenal’s eight Premier League games to date — with manager Arsene Wenger hailing the youngster’s maturity.

And Bellerin said: “At the beginning of the first season, you don’t have that pressure to perform at 100 per cent because it is always hard when you first start.

“But now, in the second season, people are expecting big things from you so you can’t disappoint them. You have to play your ‘A’ game in every single match and that is a good thing.

“I’m confident, I know that I can play and you know that all the experience always plays in your favour. You’ve got both sides of it — people saying that teams know how to stop you but you’ve got the confidence and the experience.”