Once Myles Lewis-Skelly had threaded the ball through to Raheem Sterling, his cross finished by Ethan Nwaneri, the wishes of many Arsenal supporters had been answered.
The Gunners’ second goal created and scored by their Hale End academy. A facet of this club which can often feel underutilised, but is very much adored around these parts.
The calls for Mikel Arteta to give the kids a chance have long run. In fact, they began soon after his appointment in December 2019. Not a simple request, mind, when you are chasing the Premier League title, but he has arguably been too cautious at times.
Take the dead-rubber Champions League match away at PSV Eindhoven last December where he brought Nwaneri, Lino Sousa and Reuell Walters along — the latter two have since departed — but did not give them a single minute.
On Wednesday night, he could not be accused of such restraint — and the youngsters very much shined.
Ethan Nwaneri scored his first two goals for Arsenal in a 5-1 win over Bolton on Wednesday
Nwaneri, 17, who Arteta made the youngest player in Premier League history back in September 2022, has been made to largely observe from the bench. This season, he’s been warming it every game until now.
His brace to take Arsenal past Bolton was a reminder of the talent he possesses. The teenager’s second goal, straight through goalkeeper Luke Southwood’s hands, topped off a night where the youngsters stepped up to the task at hand.
Lewis-Skelly was sharp and looked at home on this stage, his comfort on the ball a telling sign. Jack Porter, the 16-year-old keeper, who was given a start because of injuries and a cup-tied Neto, was understandably nervy but came through without calamity, just about. He passed the ball to Aaron Collins from close range, though the ball deflected off the Bolton man wide. A lucky teen.
Nwaneri, Nichols, Porter and Lewis-Skelly weren’t even born when the Emirates Stadium opened back in July 2006. A stat Arteta will surely use when the next accusation of not playing youth players next arises.
Though it’s Nwaneri who can’t be far from further minutes now. Surely not. He is ready for the first-team level.
Nwaneri found the net in the 37th and 49th minutes of the Carabao Cup clash in north London
Domestic cup competitions have not been a focus of Arteta’s of late. They won the FA Cup in 2020, his first season in charge of Arsenal.
Yet, especially in the previous campaign, such competitions have fallen by the wayside. There was the tepid EFL Cup fourth round 3-1 defeat to West Ham in November, followed by a 2-0 defeat against Liverpool in the FA Cup third round.
Some silverware would be welcomed around these parts. Winning the Premier League is their ultimate goal — that supersedes everything else. But a trophy, no matter its size, would do no harm.
David Raya was rested, having left the Man City clash with a bandaged right knee.
Arsenal’s No2 keeper Neto, who signed on loan from Bournemouth over the summer, was cup-tied — he started for the Cherries in their second-round defeat to West Ham before completing his transfer to north London.
And then promising 18-year-old Tommy Setford has not been in the squad since the international break because of injury.
That paved the way for Porter. The Chelmsford-born keeper had only played six games for the Arsenal Under 18s and just once for the Under 21s.
Sixteen-year-old goalkeeper Jack Porter became the youngest starter in Arsenal’s history
The task ahead of League One Bolton was always going to be uphill. Luke Southwood knew so, taking longer than necessary from goal kicks and the like from minute one.
Riccardo Calafiori clumsily gave the ball away to Scott Arfield early on, but he failed to test Porter from close range.
There was a light penalty shout in the Arsenal area after Gabriel Jesus made contact with Josh Sheehan, and the Trotters did ensure to get plenty of bodies in the box on corners.
But Arsenal, even with their wholesale changes, were proving just too much. Jesus tried an overhead kick which flew wide, and Sterling shot from distance.
Those efforts sandwiched Rice and Nwaneri’s goals prior to half-time. The ball came to Arfield outside the box. He panicked, the ball skewing off his studs to Rice, who slotted the ball into the bottom-right corner.
Raheem Sterling pictured applauding the fans on the night he scored his first goal for Arsenal
That followed Nwaneri’s close-range finish off Raheem Sterling’s cross.
Bolton, facing a two-goal deficit, started the second period with nothing to lose. They pressed forward but that left open gaps.
Nwaneri had his second after 49 minutes, the floodgates slowly opening. The visitors pulled one back thanks to an impetuous through ball by John McAtee, finished by Collins.
By the time Sterling tapped in the ball on the goal off Bukayo Saka’s saved shot, the focus became on which other players would be given a chance to cash in.
Substitute Kai Havertz got one by the close to end a feel-good night. The kids are, certainly, alright.
