Four Arsenal players make history in Carabao Cup clash against Bolton
Four Arsenal players have made history in Wednesday night’s third-round Carabao Cup clash against Bolton Wanderers at the Emirates.
Mikel Arteta made eight changes to his starting XI for the match against their League One opponents following the 2-2 draw with Manchester City on Sunday.
Jack Porter, 16, was named in goal while three other youngsters – Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly and Josh Nichols – were also included in the Arsenal line-up.
Those four wonderkids have written themselves into Arsenal history by becoming the first players to feature in a competitive game at the Emirates born after the stadium opened in July 2006.
Porter received a message of support from ex-Gunners goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale ahead of kick-off as the Southampton star posted: ‘Go well bud!’
Arteta, meanwhile, lauded Lewis-Skelly ahead of the cup tie against Bolton after he made his debut in the closing stages of the 2-2 draw against City at the Etihad.
‘He (Lewis-Skelly) is a competitor,’ Arteta said when asked about the confrontation between the Arsenal youngster and City striker Erling Haaland.
‘You look at him, in every duel he goes, the way he reacts with his team-mates, you speak to him it’s constantly eye contact. He’s nudging, he’s asking questions, it’s a special character.
‘He can play in three positions basically, as a left back, as a No.6, as a No.8, he’s very versatile. He adapts, from there he can occupy different spaces.
‘He’s very adaptable, that’s the good thing about Myles – he’s very intelligent, very thorough.
‘He has some unbelievable questions every time you ask him to do something, and he has the competitive edge which I think is demanded at this level.
‘And he really wants it, so we are going to use him in different positions.’
Nichols was involved in Arsenal’s opening goal against Bolton, with his low ball in from the right-hand side hitting an opponent before it found Declan Rice in the middle to fire home. Nwaneri then scored twice to make it 3-0.
