Nwaneri nets brace, full debut for 18yo Nichols as Arsenal thrash Bolton in Carabao Cup

Ethan Nwaneri (17) and Josh Nichols (18) made their full debuts for Arsenal in their 5-1 victory over Bolton Wanderers in the third round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, with the former getting a brace in the game.

Declan Rice grabbed the first goal of the night after Nichols’ cross wasn't cleared properly, and the England international struck the ball home.

Nwaneri doubled the Gunners’ lead, placing Raheem Sterling's cross in the back of the net to register his first-ever goal for the club.

Three minutes after the restart, the talented midfielder gave the home side a three-goal cushion with a calm finish after Bolton carelessly lost the ball in their defensive third.

Aaron Collins pulled one back for Bolton in the 53rd minute, but Raheem Sterling restored Arsenal's three-goal advantage in the 64th minute. 

Substitute Kai Havertz grabbed the fifth of the night for the north London club, placing the ball home from Sterling's rebound shot.

Due to the upcoming schedule, Mikel Arteta decided to make a host of changes to the side that started against Manchester City last weekend which paved the way for the two Nigeria-eligible players to make their first start.

For Nwaneri it was his fourth appearance for the club, having made his debut two seasons ago, played once last season and featured in the north London derby earlier this month.

Conversely, Nichols had not made any competitive appearance before tonight's game, but he featured in all the friendly matches played by the Gunners during their tour of the United States before the start of the 2024-2025 season. 

Abdulkareem Abdulhamid

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