Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal young midfielder Ethan Nwaneri is ready for a breakthrough into the first team after a standout performance in the Gunners’ 3-0 victory over Preston in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night.
The 17-year-old scored a stunning goal to help secure Arsenal’s spot in the competition’s quarter-finals, adding to his growing list of impressive displays this season.
In the dominant win at Deepdale, Gabriel Jesus opened the scoring, Kai Havertz added another, and Nwaneri capped it with a spectacular second goal—a curling left-footed strike from outside the penalty area.
Asked if Ethan Nwaneri is ready for a more regular first-team role, Arteta was confident. “Certainly! If not, he wouldn’t have played tonight, or three days ago against Liverpool,” the Arsenal boss said. “He’s there. He’s showing every day what he’s capable of. You see his teammates trust him—they give him the ball all the time. That’s a great sign. We’ve got some player there.”
