Arsenal’s young gun, Ethan Nwaneri, dazzled with two goals in a resounding 5-1 triumph over third-tier Bolton during the English League Cup on Wednesday.
Seventeen-year-old Nwaneri made waves in his first senior start, while newcomer Raheem Sterling netted his inaugural goal since swapping Chelsea for Arsenal.
On a night when Arsenal’s upcoming stars shone bright, Jack Porter, aged 16 years and 72 days, set a new benchmark as the club’s youngest starting goalie, besting Cesc Fabregas’ record of 16 years and 177 days.
However, Nwaneri remains the record-holder for Arsenal’s youngest first-team appearance, debuting as a substitute at 15 years and 181 days in September 2022.
Nwaneri snagged his first senior goal in the 37th minute at the Emirates Stadium, following Declan Rice’s opener in the 16th minute. He added his second goal just four minutes after halftime.
Although Bolton’s Aaron Collins managed to claw one back in the 53rd minute, Sterling made it 4-1 in the 64th, and Kai Havertz wrapped up the victory in the 77th.
Liverpool romp
Liverpool began their League Cup campaign with a bang, thrashing West Ham 5-1. Despite going behind due to Jarell Quansah’s own goal in the 21st minute at Anfield, Diogo Jota swiftly equalized four minutes later and added another goal shortly after the break.
Mohamed Salah extended Liverpool’s lead to 3-1 in the 74th minute, and West Ham’s task became even tougher when Edson Alvarez was shown a red card two minutes later.
Cody Gakpo put the icing on the cake with strikes in the 90th minute and the third minute of stoppage time.
Fourth-round draw set
The draw for the fourth round pits Manchester City against Tottenham for a marquee matchup, while Liverpool heads to Premier League rivals Brighton.
Arsenal is set to face second-division Preston away, and Manchester United hosts Leicester at home. Meanwhile, Newcastle will entertain Chelsea if it gets past AFC Wimbledon.
An all-elite clash features Aston Villa versus Crystal Palace. Brentford welcomes Sheffield Wednesday, and Southampton faces Stoke at home.
