Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka scored second-half goals as a youthful Arsenal side beat Brighton to reach the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.
Mikel Arteta named 15-year-old Max Dowman, who became the youngest Arsenal player to start a match, and 17-year-old Andre Harriman-Annous in a side that had 10 changes from the team that beat Crystal Palace on Sunday.
And it was two of Arsenal’s other young players who combined to give the Gunners the lead in the 57th minute.
Mikel Merino played Myles Lewis-Skelly into the area with a clever backheel, and the defender pulled the ball back for fellow academy graduate Ethan Nwaneri to sweep into the far corner.
Second-half substitute Saka doubled the lead when he picked up the rebound from a Harriman-Annous shot and fired into an empty net to give Arsenal the win.
Brighton had good opportunities in the first half to open the scoring, first through Georginio Rutter when the forward had a good chance saved by Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Striker Stefanos Tzimas then had a big chance to score but shot wide from inside the area following a counter-attack.
The result means Arsenal progress into the last eight of the competition, are now unbeaten in their past 11 games and have not conceded a goal for six matches.
Arsenal analysis: Dowman shines on first Arsenal start
Dowman’s start was a further reward for his progress this season.
The 15-year-old was one of Arsenal’s most dangerous players on the senior team’s pre-season tour of Asia, winning penalties against Newcastle and Villarreal, and he continued that promise with another solid performance against Brighton.
Dowman has been training with the Arsenal first team since he was 14 and has not looked phased at any of the opportunities he has been given this season.
The winger made his Premier League debut against Leeds at home, winning a penalty in that match, and he caused the Brighton defence problems with his dribbling throughout his 70 minutes on the pitch.
Mikel Arteta has spoken glowingly at every opportunity about Dowman’s talent and said before this match he would have been “blind” to not notice it.
The youngster had to deal with some heavy tackles from the Brighton defenders, but as Arteta has said, the England youth international has an excellent temperament to not let those challenges affect him.
Dowman has agreed to sign a scholarship deal as he is not yet old enough to sign as a professional, and the sight of him skipping past defenders is something the Arsenal fans are set to enjoy for many years to come.
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