Nwaneri Scores Brace As Arsenal Thrash Bolton In Carabao Cup

Teenager Ethan Nwaneri netted his first Arsenal goals as the Gunners eased past League One side Bolton to secure a spot in the Carabao Cup fourth round.

The 17-year-old, making his first senior start, tapped in Raheem Sterling’s cross for his debut goal before capitalizing on a Bolton error, collecting the ball from Declan Rice and calmly slotting it past goalkeeper Luke Southwood.

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Nwaneri had earlier set up Arsenal’s opening goal with a driven cross that led to Scott Arfield’s failed clearance, allowing Rice to finish neatly into the bottom corner.

“You can see his confidence and understanding of the game,” said Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, as the Gunners prepare to face Preston in the next round.

“In his journey with the first team he is always ahead of what everybody expected and I expected too. He deserves that and he is part of us so he will have the minutes.”

Raheem Sterling scored Arsenal’s fourth goal in the 64th minute, tapping in from close range after Bolton keeper Luke Southwood fumbled Bukayo Saka’s shot. It marked Sterling’s first goal in Arsenal colors on his debut start, having joined from Chelsea on transfer deadline day.

Kai Havertz sealed the dominant win at the Emirates by slotting home a rebound after Sterling’s initial shot was saved.

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Bolton’s Aaron Collins pulled one back in the 53rd minute with a swift counter-attack, a consolation goal that denied 16-year-old Arsenal goalkeeper Jack Porter a clean sheet on his historic senior debut.

At just 16 years and 72 days, Porter became the youngest player to start a first-team game for Arsenal, surpassing the record set by Cesc Fabregas in 2003. Porter, Arsenal’s fourth-choice goalkeeper, was given the nod due to injuries and cup-tied players ahead of him.

“We told him yesterday and he was over the moon,” added Arteta on Porter.

“It is a big step, a big occasion, but he reacted really well. He was really composed in training and his team-mates helped him too. What an experience and what a way to break a record.”

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