Ethan Nwaneri steals the show as Arsenal's young guns batter Bolton in Carabao Cup
ARSENAL 5-1 BOLTON: Mikel Arteta's side eased into the fourth round of the Carabao Cup as they dismantled League One side Bolton at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday evening
Ethan Nwaneri led the way as Arsenal got their teenage kicks all through the night.
Mikel Arteta started four teenagers against Bolton and his trust was rewarded as the Gunners marched into the next round. Jack Porter, at 16 years old, became the youngest player ever to start for the club, and did so in goal because David Raya was injured and Neto cup-tied.
But Arteta also started three 17-year-olds in Josh Nichols, Myles Lewis-Skelly, and Nwaneri and all four shone. None of them had even been born when the club moved into the Emirates Stadium in 2006.
But Nwaneri added to a Declan Rice opener with strikes of his own either side of half time - his first for the club. And despite Aaron Collins pulling one back, Raheem Sterling and Kai Havertz turned it into a five-star rout.
READ MORE: Sky Sports fans can save £216 on their bill, here's three other reasons you'll want to pick itREAD MORE: Martin Odegaard offers update on 'significant' Arsenal injury and makes 'scared' admissionSome had feared this might be a tricky tie at a tricky time with Arsenal missing key men and having priorities elsewhere. But Bolton, who are the wrong end of League One, were essentially out of this one by half time.
And Arsenal showed their future looks bright with plenty of decent young talent still rolling off the production line. Bolton were screaming for a penalty when Josh Sheehan went down under a clumsy challenge from Gabriel Jesus.
But the contact was minimal and referee Josh Smith wasn’t interested, allowing Arsenal to play on. Just moments later the Gunners went in front when Nwaneri crossed from the right and Scott Arfield air kicked his attempt to clear.
It fell perfectly for Rice, who picked his spot before coolly slotting home into the bottom corner and holding his arms wide in celebration. Jesus then sent a bicycle kick wide as the home side began to take a firm grip on the game.
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At the other end, John McAtee took a wild swing at a decent chance and skied it high over the bar. But it looked liked game over when Myles Lewis-Skelly fed Raheem Sterling and his low cross was turned in by Nwaneri.
Jesus then dragged a shot wide but Nwaneri was hearing “one of our own” chants from the home fans when he added number three. Rice turned provider this time and Nwaneri made no mistake - but soon afterwards Bolton pulled one back.
Porter came out to try and stop Collins, who raced in on goal from McAtee’s pass, but he was beaten easily before the Bolton player slotted home. Arsenal weren’t done though, and Saka quickly created a fourth, which Sterling stabbed over the line.
And long before the end, when Havertz came off the bench to make it five, Arsenal were like a cat toying with a mouse. There was still time for Arteta to hand a debut off the bench to Ismael Kaia, and for the Gunners to enjoy themselves at the expense of the underdogs.
Bolton kept plugging away and while the gulf in class was obvious, nobody could accuse them of giving anything but their best effort.
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