Arsenal had a European Championship winner on parade in Jorginho, the Champions League‑winning Kai Havertz and the four-time Premier League champion Raheem Sterling making life a misery for Preston but one name bellowed out above all others from the boisterous away end at Deepdale: Ethan Nwaneri. “One of our own,” they sang of the 17‑year‑old from Enfield. One special talent, that is for sure.
On only his second start for Mikel Arteta’s team, Nwaneri shone among the more decorated names as Arsenal cruised into the Carabao Cup quarter‑finals against the Championship side.
The teenager struck a superb goal, his third in this season’s competition in total, grazed the crossbar with another thunderous effort and made Preston dance to his tune all night. He received a rapturous ovation from the Arsenal fans when replaced late on, by a substitute called Heaven appropriately enough.
“Seventeen and he can come in and take a game on like that,” Arteta said, almost succeeding in keeping his excitement in check while striving to keep the teenager’s feet on the floor. “He’s a big talent, he’s got the right attitude, he’s got the right players and context around him and we need to make sure we build him brick by brick, but we have some player there.
“He is going to dictate how fast things are going to go but I’m really happy with him. There is so much personality there. He wants to impose himself, he wants every ball and he wants to make things happen. You see his teammates giving him the ball all the time. That’s a great sign.”
Preston were the last team from outside the top flight still standing in the competition but flag-bearing was not Paul Heckingbottom’s concern. The Preston manager made six changes to the team that drew at Plymouth on Saturday. It was not exactly embracing the romance of the cup, although it could have been a reaction to his team blowing a three-goal lead at Home Park. Arsenal, with far greater resources to implement wholesale change, gradually exploited the weaknesses in the Championship side.
Arteta gave a first-team debut to Tommy Setford, the 18-year-old goalkeeper signed from Ajax in the summer, but unlike fellow teenager Nwaneri he was a relative bystander. Setford’s first save, a straightforward stop from Jeppe Okkels, came in the 77th minute.
The Preston centre‑half Liam Lindsay should have troubled the debutant twice but sent a free header over from a Sam Greenwood free-kick and scuffed a shot when the forward’s corner found him unmarked inside the box. They were opportunities that could not be wasted against a dominant, superior opponent.
In the early stages Arsenal were guilty of overelaborating in and around the Preston penalty area. Nwaneri, however, was an irrepressible, intelligent force throughout. His was a performance that showed both immense potential plus an end product.
The visitors constantly stretched the play to encourage Sterling and Gabriel Martinelli to attack their full‑backs. The policy paid off when Martinelli was sent flying by the Preston right-back Kaine Kesler‑Hayden. From the resulting free-kick, swept to the back post by the Brazilian, Jakub Kiwior headed down for Gabriel Jesus to sweep an unstoppable finish beyond Freddie Woodman. It was the striker’s first goal since 30 January. “It’s been a long time,” Arteta admitted. “I think that is going to unlock things mentally.”
The Preston keeper made a routine stop from Nwaneri when Mikel Merino teed up the teenager from a Sterling cross. But Woodman could do nothing about the stunning effort that brought Arsenal the deserved comfort of a two-goal lead. Receiving a pass from Jesus 22 yards from goal, Nwaneri cut inside on to his left foot and curled a pinpoint strike into the top corner with Woodman rooted to the spot. It was a finish in keeping with the England Under-19 international’s outstanding display overall.
Tottenham v Manchester United
Arsenal v Crystal Palace
Newcastle v Brentford
Southampton v Liverpool
Ties are scheduled to be played in the week commencing 16 December
Nwaneri would have had an assist too only for Jesus making a mess of a free header from the midfielder’s inviting cross. It mattered not. Seconds later, with Arsenal still toying with their hosts, Kiwior claimed his second assist of the night with a superb delivery that Havertz, on as a substitute, headed powerfully inside the near post.
Havertz was denied a second headed goal from a Jorginho corner by a goalline clearance while Woodman produced a fine double save from Jesus and Sterling as Arsenal threatened to run riot. Brad Potts denied Sterling with an excellent goalline clearance while Nwaneri struck the crossbar with an angled, left-footed drive. “We have some player there,” Arteta repeated.
