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 rang out above all 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.
In only his second start for Mikel Arteta’s team Nwaneri shone among the more decorated names as Arsenal eased into the Carabao Cup quarter-finals with plenty to spare against the Championship side. The teenager struck a superb goal, his third in the competition so far, grazed the crossbar with another thunderous effort and generally made Preston dance to his tune all night. He received a standing ovation from the Arsenal fans when appropriately replaced late on by a substitute called Heaven. Preston’s epic 16-15 penalty shootout defeat of Fulham in round three was a distant memory for the home crowd once Arsenal found their rhythm.
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 for the visit of the Premier League contenders. 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, and Nwaneri another chance to impress. The attacking midfielder, who scored twice in the previous round’s thrashing of Bolton, delivered once again. Otherwise it was an Arsenal team strong on experience and pedigree.
Setford was a bystander throughout the first half. The Preston defender Liam Lindsay should have troubled the debutant twice but sent a free header over from a Sam Greenwood free-kick and scuffed a shot across goal when the forward’s corner found him unmarked inside the box. They were opportunities that could not afford to be wasted against a dominant, superior opponent.
Arsenal were guilty of over-elaborating in and around the Preston penalty area in the early stages. Nwaneri, however, was an irrepressible, intelligent force. His was a performance that showed both immense potential and 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.
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.
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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 substitute Havertz 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 to prevent Arsenal running riot.
It needed stoic defending and some luck to prevent Arsenal adding to the scoreline. Nwaneri turned a defender inside out before striking the top of the crossbar with a left-footed drive. Preston improved in the closing stages, Heckingbottom’s substitutions making a noticeable difference, but the previously unemployed Setford was equal to Jeppe Okkels’ angled shot. Havertz or Sterling should have scored in the closing seconds when through on goal. The former selflessly squared to Sterling after rounding Woodman but Preston substitute Brad Potts produced an excellent clearance on the line. It was a rare escape for the Championship side.
