What was it Mikel Arteta had said? “We’ve got some player there.” You certainly have. With four minutes left in Arsenal’s last Champions League match of a hugely impressive first phase, Ethan Nwaneri began his long, slow walk around the pitch at Montilivi. As he went, they waited for him with open arms on the away bench and, in the small main stand, supporters and staff stood and applauded. He was in no hurry; he had given everything and was happy to take it all in.
Ultimately, this was a comfortable night for Arsenal, and it had always been likely to be. They had earned the right to play virtually risk-free and although Raheem Sterling missed a last-minute penalty, a 2-1 win over Girona completed the job of carrying them directly to the last 16 as expected. Arsenal are third, Arteta talking about having “the privilege of sitting at home” during the playoff round. In the absence of jeopardy or epic, what made it memorable was the 17-year-old who celebrated his first Champions League start with a superb performance and a wonderful winning goal.
