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 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.
On Wednesday night, he could not be accused of such restraint — and the youngsters very much shone.
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 ever since.
Ethan Nwaneri scored his first two goals for Arsenal in a 5-1 win over Bolton on Wednesday
Nwaneri found the net in the 37th and 49th minutes of the Carabao Cup clash in north London
His brace to take Arsenal past Bolton and into the EFL Cup fourth round, where they will face Preston at the Deepdale Stadium, 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, given a shock 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 and went wide. A lucky teen — and Arsenal’s youngest-ever player to start a match.
Arteta said: ‘It was a really positive might in every sense. We gave the opportunity to quite a lot of academy players, they responded really well and it’s just so fulfilling to see their faces, their reaction, how much it means to them.’
On Porter starting, he added: ‘We told him yesterday and he was over the moon straight away.
‘I think he spoke to his family and they weren’t prepared for that. But I think he reacted really well, he was really composed yesterday in training and today as well.
‘What an experience and what a way to break a record.’
Nwaneri, Josh Nichols, Porter and Lewis-Skelly weren’t even born when the Emirates Stadium opened back in July 2006. A statistic 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 pictured (centre) immediately after scoring the first goal of his senior Arsenal career
Raheem Sterling also scored his first ever Gunners goal during Wednesday’s cup demolition
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. A trophy, no matter its size, would do no harm.
It appears as though the Spaniard thinks so. He substituted on Gabriel, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli with the scoreline 4-1. That reflects intent.
David Raya was rested, having left the Man City clash with a bandaged right knee.
Arsenal’s No 2 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.
Sterling found the net from very close range to score Arsenal’s fourth goal against Bolton
16-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. Southwood knew so, taking longer than necessary from goal kicks and the like from minute one.
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 eight changes, were proving just too much. Jesus tried an overhead kick which flew wide, and Sterling shot from distance.
Those efforts sandwiched Declan Rice and Nwaneri’s goals prior to half-time. The ball came to Scott Arfield outside the box. He panicked, the ball skewing off his studs to Rice, who slotted the ball into the bottom-right corner.
That followed Nwaneri’s close-range finish off 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.
Sterling pictured applauding the Arsenal supporters as he left the field in the 64th minute
By the time Sterling tapped in the ball on the goal off Bukayo Saka’s saved shot, though, the focus became on which other players would be given a chance to cash in.
Substitute Havertz got one, too, by the close to end a feel-good night. The kids are, certainly, alright.
