Ethan Nwaneri scored twice and Raheem Sterling netted his first Arsenal goal in a dominant 5-1 win over Bolton in the Carabao Cup.
After three tough away matches in the space of a week, Mikel Arteta’s side returned to home comforts for this third-round clash and an upset never looked to be on the cards.
Declan Rice fired in from the edge of the area after 16 minutes and Nwaneri, one of four Arsenal teenagers in the starting lineup, then turned home from close range to double the lead.
Nwaneri added his second and Arsenal’s third shortly after half-time, before 16-year-old goalkeeper Jack Porter was denied a clean sheet on debut, as Aaron Collins went round him and tapped into an empty net to pull one back for Bolton.
There was little chance of that ever being more than a consolation, particularly when Sterling got off the mark for the Gunners with the simplest of finishes after Luke Southwood let a Bukayo Saka cross squirm through his hands.
There were more Arsenal debuts to come, as Maldini Kacurri and Ismeal Kabia were brought off the bench, but it was a more familiar name that rounded off the scoring. Sterling’s effort was parried out into the six-yard box and Kai Havertz was there to provide the finishing touch.
