Some of Arsenal’s most promising young talents have made their mark in the Carabao Cup, and 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri is the latest addition to that list. Under Arsène Wenger, Cesc Fàbregas became the club’s youngest-ever first-team starter at just 16 years and 177 days during a third-round match against Rotherham in October 2003, later becoming the youngest scorer two months later against Wolves.
In September 2008, Jack Wilshere made his senior debut and scored his first goal in a 6-0 third-round victory over Sheffield United at 16 years and 266 days.
Last night, against Bolton, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta continued this tradition by fielding several record-breaking Hale End academy players in the third round. Four of them made their debuts, bringing Arteta’s total to twelve academy players introduced since he took over in December 2019. Nwaneri, who scored twice, was the standout performer. He had previously set the record as the youngest Premier League player at 15 years and 181 days during a substitute appearance at Brentford in September 2022.
At the Emirates, in his first senior start, Nwaneri netted a goal on either side of half-time after Declan Rice opened the scoring in the 16th minute against Bolton. At 17 years and 188 days, he is now Arsenal’s fourth youngest scorer of the 21st century, following Fàbregas, Wilshere, and Arturo Lupoli.
Arteta faced a goalkeeping dilemma with David Raya rested due to a thigh issue, new signing Neto cup-tied, and 18-year-old Tommy Setford injured. Consequently, 16-year-old Jack Porter became the youngest player ever to start a match for Arsenal, surpassing Fàbregas. Porter also holds the record for Arsenal’s youngest goalkeeper by two years and is the second youngest to appear in a senior match, following Nwaneri. However, in the 53rd minute, his clean sheet was compromised without making a save, as Aaron Collins rounded him after a quick counter-attack.
In the midst of the Hale End excitement, Raheem Sterling’s first start since joining on loan from Chelsea was somewhat overshadowed, even though he also scored. Porter and Nwaneri were part of a squad featuring nine academy players, with five starting, resulting in an average age of 22.7, including Bukayo Saka, Josh Nichols, and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Lewis-Skelly, 17, had an eventful senior debut against Manchester City last weekend, earning a yellow card as a substitute and confronting Erling Haaland, but he started this match, while 18-year-old Nichols made his full debut.
Other young players, Ismael Kabia, Maldini Kacurri, Ayden Heaven, and Alexei Rojas, strengthened the bench, with Kacurri and Kabia also making their debuts late in the game. Raya, Jurrien Timber, Ben White, and Leandro Trossard were left at home, but all attention was on Porter early in the match, having only experienced U21 football for the first time in August.
After a nervous fifth-minute touch left him on the ground, Porter’s only significant task before halftime was to retrieve an offside goal from the net. Rice curled in a lovely effort from a cross by Nichols that was mishandled by Scott Arfield, and Sterling set up Nwaneri for a tap-in in the 37th minute. Some poor play from Bolton allowed Nwaneri to score his second in the 49th minute, and Sterling and Kai Havertz rounded off a nearly perfect evening for Arsenal, although Lewis-Skelly limped off with an injury around the hour mark.
