Arsenal’s teenage goalkeeper Jack Porter set a unique new record during the Gunners’ Carabao Cup victory over Bolton Wanderers.
Hale End starlet Ethan Nwaneri stole the headlines by claiming a brace as the Gunners dispatched Bolton 5-1 on Wednesday, while Raheem Sterling also netted on his full debut.
Nwaneri and Sterling were among five full debutants for Arsenal, with academy graduates Porter, Josh Nichols and Myles Lewis-Skelly also claiming their first start for Mikel Arteta’s side.
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Indeed, Porter, 16, became the youngest goalkeeper in Arsenal history. Moreover, by wearing the No.92 shirt the teenager set a new record for the highest number to appear in a competitive first-team game for Arsenal, beating that of Bukayo Saka, who once donned 87.
Speaking after Porter’s record breaking appearance, Arteta said: "We told him yesterday and I think straight away he spoke to his family.
“They weren't prepared for that, it's a big step, it's a big occasion for them. I think they were nervous about it but he reacted really well.
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“He was really composed in training and today as well. His team-mates really helped him as well on that. One experience, and what a way to break a record.”
Elsewhere, Arteta heaped praise on 17-year-old Nwaneri.
Arteta said: "The second [goal], I was happy for him because he scored, and I know [what] the reaction of his team-mates [would be] if he didn't!
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"Overall again, he was really good - a really strong performance for him. He really feels part of us. You can tell that he plays with a confidence and belief that he knows what to do on the pitch.
"It's another step. He's ahead of what anyone could expect. Since he joined in with the first-team, he's always ahead of what we expected, of what I expected. He deserves that, he is part of us and he will have the minutes."
Topics: Arsenal, Carabao Cup, Mikel Arteta, Raheem Sterling
Chris Byfield