Raheem Sterling scored his first Arsenal goal as Jack Porter made history as the club’s youngest-ever starter in a 5-1 League Cup thrashing of Bolton on Wednesday, while Liverpool cruised into the last 16 with a 5-1 victory over a struggling West Ham.
Sterling, making his full Arsenal debut following a transfer deadline move from Chelsea, struck in the second half of the third-round match at the Emirates Stadium. The 29-year-old winger will be hoping that this goal signals a resurgence in his career after an underwhelming two-year spell at Chelsea.
Arteta made seven changes to the side that drew 2-2 against Premier League champions Manchester City last Sunday, including a debut for 16-year-old goalkeeper Porter, who replaced the injured David Raya.
At just 16 years and 72 days, Porter became Arsenal’s youngest-ever starter, surpassing the record previously held by Cesc Fabregas, who was 16 years and 177 days old when he featured against Rotherham in 2003. Porter is now Arsenal’s second-youngest player overall, following Ethan Nwaneri, who debuted at 15 years and 181 days in 2022.
Arsenal will face Championship side Preston in the last 16, with the standout fixture of the fourth round being Tottenham’s clash with Manchester City.
Liverpool’s defence of the League Cup will continue with a trip to Brighton, while Manchester United will meet Leicester. AFC Wimbledon or Newcastle, whose tie was postponed due to flooding at Wimbledon’s ground, will host Chelsea.
Declan Rice opened the scoring for Arsenal in the 16th minute with a composed finish from the edge of the area, his first goal of the season.
Nwaneri doubled Arsenal’s lead in the 37th minute, scoring his first goal for the club. The 17-year-old then added his second just four minutes after the break. Porter was beaten in the 53rd minute when Aaron Collins evaded him and slotted home for Bolton.
Sterling netted Arsenal’s fourth in the 64th minute, pouncing on a spilled cross from Bukayo Saka, before Kai Havertz sealed the win with a close-range finish in the 78th minute.
West Ham Struggles Continue
At Anfield, Diogo Jota and Cody Gakpo each scored twice as Liverpool’s second-string side overwhelmed West Ham, piling pressure on manager Julen Lopetegui.
Lopetegui, who has won just one of his five league games since succeeding David Moyes, made eight changes following last weekend’s 3-0 defeat to Chelsea, which marked a third consecutive home loss to start the season – a first for any West Ham manager.
Despite their poor form, the Hammers took a surprise lead in the 21st minute when Kostas Tsimikas’s clearance ricocheted off Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah for a bizarre own goal.
Jota quickly levelled the score four minutes later, out-jumping West Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski to head home from Federico Chiesa’s volley.
Jota netted again in the 49th minute, exchanging passes with Curtis Jones before driving his shot past Fabianski.
Substitute Mohamed Salah added a third in the 74th minute, tapping in after Alexis Mac Allister’s shot was parried into his path.
West Ham’s misery deepened when Edson Alvarez was sent off for a second booking in the 76th minute after a clumsy foul on Salah.
Cody Gakpo then added two more goals, first firing into the top corner from 18 yards in the 90th minute, and moments later seeing a deflected shot sail past Fabianski to round off the rout.
