Leeds United's academy won't take 'foot off the gas' after Niall Huggins Arsenal debut

Mark Jackson says Leeds United's academy won't take their foot off the gas following another Thorp Arch success story.

The Whites have relied heavily on the club's production line of talent since Marcelo Bielsa's arrival at Elland Road nearly three years ago.

Niall Huggins (20) became the latest academy graduate to earn a senior debut under Bielsa's watch, having been introduced from the bench against Arsenal in the Premier League during Sunday's 4-2 defeat at the Emirates.

The Wales Under-21s international was the 21st different player aged under 21 to be handed their first team bow by the Leeds boss since he took charge in West Yorkshire.

Many of those have come from the club's own production line of talent, with Huggins the latest to benefit from the success the academy continues to boast in churning out ready-made players.

The likes of Jack Jenkins and Charlie Cresswell were also involved in the match day squad amid injuries alongside highly-rated summer development recruit Joe Gelhardt.

Jamie Shackleton was handed a starting berth - another of those to step into the senior squad in recent seasons - alongside Pascal Struijk who is a former Under-23s regular.

There have been a number of others to step into the senior squad when required this season, such as Oli Casey and outside recruits Sam Greenwood and Leif Davis.

Jackson - who is in his first season in charge of the Whites development outfit having stepped up from the Under-18s last summer - insists it is up to the academy to keep on providing the first team set-up with solutions.

"I say it all the time but it's what we're here for," Jackson told LUTV.

"We're here to ready the players and to be used by Marcelo in the first team.

"We have to challenge them every day in training and every game so we can get them to a level where they can push on and be an asset to the first team.

"It was great to see Niall make his debut at Arsenal - I'm delighted for him just like every other player who is involved in the squad.

"It's really pleasing for us as an academy to see those young players doing well. We don't take our foot off the gas. We have to keep pushing them hard every day in training to reach those levels and push them beyond what is required.

"Now the first team are in the Premier League it is really challenging, so we need to push the boundaries all the time."