A heavily rotated Arsenal side comfortably advanced to the Carabao Cup quarter-finals with a commanding 3-0 win over Championship club Preston, setting up a meeting with Crystal Palace. The standout moment came from 17-year-old Ethan Nwaneri, who continued his impressive run in the competition by netting a stunning goal, his third of the tournament.
Nwaneri’s goal showcased his poise and skill; after shifting the ball from his right to his left foot, he curled a beautiful shot into the top-left corner just nine minutes after Gabriel Jesus had opened the scoring. For Jesus, it was a long-awaited goal—his first in 25 games—ending a drought that stretched back to January. Assisted by Jakub Kiwior from a corner, Jesus clinically finished inside the post, lifting both his confidence and Arsenal’s lead.
Kiwior, one of eight new faces in the Arsenal lineup, was instrumental throughout the match, later providing a precise cross for substitute Kai Havertz to head in Arsenal’s third goal midway through the second half. Arsenal’s growing efficiency in front of goal was on full display, reflecting the clinical edge they’ve been developing.
Nwaneri nearly added another to his highlight reel, hitting the crossbar late in the match, and finished the game with an impressive 98% passing accuracy. Bukayo Saka made a late appearance, coming off the bench for the final 30 minutes as he works his way back from a hamstring injury, with Arsenal’s next Premier League fixture against Newcastle fast approaching.
