Raheem Sterling netted his first Arsenal goal and Jack Porter became the club’s youngest-ever starter in a 5-1 demolition of Bolton in the League Cup on Wednesday, while Liverpool reached the last 16 with a 5-1 win against troubled West Ham.
Sterling marked his maiden Arsenal start following his transfer deadline day move from Chelsea with a second-half strike in the third-round tie at the Emirates Stadium.
The 29-year-old will hope his goal marks the start of a career revival after a disappointing two-year spell at Chelsea.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta had made seven changes from Sunday’s stormy 2-2 draw at Premier League champions Manchester City, including giving goalkeeper Porter his record-breaking debut in place of the injured David Raya.
Aged 16 years and 72 days old, Porter was the youngest player ever to start for Arsenal, surpassing the previous record holder Cesc Fabregas, who was 16 years and 177 days when he played against Rotherham in 2003.
Porter was Arsenal’s second youngest ever player overall after Ethan Nwaneri, who was 15 years and 181 days, when he made his debut in 2022.
Declan Rice put Arsenal ahead in north London after 16 minutes with a clinical finish from the edge of the area for his first goal this season.
Fittingly on Porter’s record-setting day, it was Nwaneri who doubled Arsenal’s lead in the 37th minute with his first goal for the club.