Veteran Raheem Sterling and teen Ethan Nwaneri shine for Arsenal in League Cup romp
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Arsenal's Raheem Sterling celebrates scoring the team's fourth goal, his first for Arsenal since joining from Chelsea.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
LONDON – Raheem Sterling scored his first Arsenal goal and Jack Porter became the club’s youngest ever starter in a 5-1 rout of Bolton Wanderers in the League Cup on Sept 26.
Sterling marked his maiden Arsenal start following his transfer deadline day loan move from Chelsea with a second-half strike in the third-round tie at the Emirates.
The 29-year-old will hope his goal marks the start of a revival after a disappointing two-year spell at Chelsea.
“He was great. He’s started to show glimpses of what he can do. Physically, he needs to get to the level we require, but it was a massive step today,” Gunners boss Mikel Arteta said.
Arteta made seven changes from the 2-2 draw at English Premier League champions Manchester City on Sept 22, including giving goalkeeper Porter his debut in place of the injured David Raya.
Aged 16 years and 72 days old, Porter is the youngest player ever to start for Arsenal, surpassing the previous record holder Cesc Fabregas, who was 16 years and 177 days when he played against Rotherham United in 2003.
Porter was Arsenal’s second-youngest player overall after Ethan Nwaneri, who was 15 years and 181 days when he made his debut in 2022.
“Jack has been training with us since pre-season. He reacted really well and was really composed. What an experience,” Arteta said.
Arsenal will travel to Championship side Preston North End in the last 16, with the tie of the fourth round pitting Tottenham Hotspur against Manchester City.
Liverpool’s bid to retain the trophy will continue at Brighton & Hove Albion, while Manchester United face Leicester City.
Wimbledon or Newcastle United, whose tie was rearranged due to flooding at the League Two side’s stadium, will host Chelsea.
Declan Rice put Arsenal ahead after 16 minutes with a clinical finish from the edge of the area for his first goal this season.
Arsenal’s Declan Rice scores their first goal past Bolton Wanderers’ Luke Southwood.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Nwaneri, 17, doubled Arsenal’s lead in the 37th minute with his first goal for the club and struck again from 12 metres four minutes after half-time.
Said Arteta: “You can tell he is playing with a confidence and belief and an understanding of what he needs to do on the pitch.
“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.”
On fans chanting “Ethan Nwaneri, he’s one of our own”, the Arsenal academy product said: “It’s a great feeling when the club you love, the club you’ve grown up with, the fans are chanting that.
“It’s a surreal feeling. It’s a feeling I’ve wanted to feel for almost 16 years of my life, so to actually feel it, it’s crazy... just want more of it.”
West Ham United goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski (third from left) reacts as Liverpool striker Diogo Jota (third from right) scores.
PHOTO: AFP
Porter had to pick the ball out of the net in the 53rd minute when Aaron Collins jinked around him and slotted home.
Sterling netted in the 64th minute, tapping in after Bukayo Saka’s cross was spilt by Bolton goalkeeper Luke Southwood, and Kai Havertz grabbed the fifth from close range in the 77th minute.
Said Bolton manager Ian Evatt: “In this country, it’s as tough a game as you can have. They’re excellent obviously, and they gave us respect by playing most of their best players.” AFP
